Holy FUCK am I tired.
I just want to sleep for like.12 hours.
I mean I sleep 10 hours regularly, but it's never enough LOL.
Let Austere rest...
I've been insanely mentally exhausted lately though.
All I can get myself to do is write.
Like it's the one thing I can do without being completely screwed afterwards.
Other than that, I'm just... existing.
Fling me a Monster and I'll be grand lmfao.
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Ugh... your entire body was sore.
Mnnh... where were you even...?
You could recognise you were in a bed... it wasn't the one at home, though.
Hngh, if only you could open your eyes...
"Oh my God, she's moving." You heard Rouge's voice say, followed by quick footsteps coming towards you.
"Mmh..." You quietly moaned, before feeling your hand be squeezed lightly.
"Y/N? Y/N, if you can hear me, try to squeeze back." It took everything in you to do as asked, but eventually you squeezed the hand.
It was weak, but it was there.
"She's awake!"
It took you some time to fully wake up, your mind groggy and your body exhausted, but hey, at least you were awake.
Rouge had been the first person you saw, followed closely by Shadow, and even in your tired state, you were beyond happy to see them to the point you cried.
Rouge dried your tears, crying herself, overjoyed you were going to be fine and tightly embraced you, stroking the back of your head.
"I'm so glad you're awake, Y/N. Life wasn't the same without you." She said, smiling to you.
"How... how long was I gone for?" You hesitantly asked, fumbling with the duvet.
"A little over a week." Wh-?!
You nearly jumped out of bed, though Rouge kept you down, trying to calm you.
She did eventually manage to do so, and you sighed deeply.
Damn, over a week?
Acchi could be anywhere, then!
Tch...
"Hey, Shadow?" Said Rouge, turning to the hedgehog who'd been standing nearby, as if speechless.
"Could you go to the convenience store? It's on the bottom floor. I'm sure Y/N is hungry." He seemed reluctant, though did eventually nod, heading off to get you something to eat.
"Y/N. I need you to be honest with me. Why have you been so on edge?" She asked the second Shadow was gone, and you flinched, glancing away.
You didn't want to hide it anymore, so... you gave up.
Sighed, and spoke with a saddened, yet terrified tone.
"There... there's someone looking for me. Someone I really don't want to be found by." You stared at your hands, tears threatening to show themselves again.
"I'm scared, Rouge." Looking genuinely horrified, Rouge tightly embraced you, shushing you as you began to cry.
"It's okay, hun. We'll keep you safe. No one's going to get you, okay?" She said, doing her best to assure you everything would be fine.
You were touched by her words, but you knew better.
Your father was powerful, and if he wanted you back, he'd get you back, cost what it will.
Still, you returned Rouge's embrace, silent.
"You know..." She began, removing herself from you.
"Shadow's been beside himself with worry." Huh?
"Shadow?" You asked, looking at Rouge curiously.
"Yeah. He refused to leave your side, you know. Not even the doctors and nurses could get him out when they needed to take tests. He was always there, watching over you." You were silent as you looked down, before glancing back up, a worried expression on your face.
"Has he been eating properly?" Rouge couldn't help but to laugh at this, placing her hand atop yours.
"Worrying about someone else above yourself. You are something, Y/N." Shadow soon came in, holding a prepared lunch as well as a bottle of water, which he placed on the table near you.
Before he could walk off though, you took a hold of his sleeve, smiling warmly.
"Thank you. For everything." Initially confused, he soon sent Rouge a glare, which she only laughed at.
Rouge and Shadow stayed for hours, even as the doctors and nurses came in to check on you, do tests, and asked you a few questions.
You were seemingly healthy, though they decided to keep you for another few days, just to be sure you were indeed healthy.
They hadn't found a cause for the blood or you being out like a light for a week, despite extensive testing, and were naturally worried for you.
It hadn't happened before either.
Eventually, they left, leaving you alone with Rouge and Shadow, and the former stayed until dark, reluctant to leave you, but with Shadow around, she figured you'd be safe.
"Do as the doctors and nurses say, alright? Be sure to get rest too. Your body's fought one hell of a battle. Call me at any time, if you need anything, okay?" You nodded to Rouge, waving to her as she left, and now it was just you and Shadow.
The TV was on, and as the hospital didn't have a lot of channels, you just let it run the news.
Both of you were silent, before you finally found your tongue, quietly speaking.
"Hey, uhm... thank you again. For being here." You said, a small smile on your lips.
"Don't worry about it." He replied, seated on your bed.
He seemed... hesitant somehow.
"Have you been eating well?" You asked, to which he looked away, this being an obvious 'no'.
"But you'll get really sick if you don't! Anything's fine, just be sure to take care of yourself, okay?" Judging by his expression, he appeared frustrated.
And he was quick to let you know.
"Me? You're the one who randomly coughed up blood and ended up in a coma for a week!" He kept his voice somewhat down, despite being clearly upset.
"... Sorry." You shook your head, placing your hand atop his.
"It's okay. I didn't mean to worry everyone like that." He went silent and scooted closer to you, urging you to look up at him.
"I was afraid I'd lose you." Huh?
He pressed his forehead to yours, and you were silent as he kept speaking, moving his hand to be atop yours.
"I don't want to be without you, Y/N." You felt your heart in your throat, though rather than be from fear, it was from a feeling unfamiliar to you.
Was this love?
He went silent, looking down at the duvet, as if ashamed to meet your gaze, before you replied, feeling your cheeks redden.
"I don't want to be without you either." This caused him to look up at you, surprised, and you smiled shyly, which seemed to make him relax a fair bit.
Then, he came closer, though this was clearly for another reason than to just be close.
You gripped his shirt tightly as your lips met for the first time, but certainly not the last, and you cherished this moment for as long as you could, not wanting to end it just yet, though eventually he pulled away, his crimson eyes meeting yours.
"... Can you stay the night?" You sheepishly asked, to which he softly laughed, embracing you tightly.
"Of course."
Shadow stayed with you for the duration of your hospital stay, until the day you were discharged, seemingly in good health.
Other than your body being a bit sore, you were good, though naturally you'd be kept an eye on, in case anything should happen again.
Walking beside Shadow, you sincerely wanted to cling to him,
You'd never been in love before, at least with a real person, and you were so excited.
Seemingly sensing this, he took a hold of your hand, sending you a smile when you glanced at him.
You returned it and felt happier than you had in a long time.
You'd always heard your mother say great love was, and you'd always wanted something like it.
And now you did!
It felt positively amazing.
Way better than what you expected, and this was just the beginning!
You still had so much to explore.
To say Rouge was excited when she heard the two of you had gotten together was understating it.
She nearly squealed, hugging you tightly, before sending Shadow a half serious glare, along with the sentence 'you better treat her well or I'm kicking you in the shin'.
He seemed to take it seriously.
To celebrate, you happily cooked for you, Rouge, Shadow and Knuckles, with Shadow constantly asking if you really were okay to move like that, and would help you reach hard to reach things, not wanting you to over-exert yourself.
You occasionally looked into the living room and saw Rouge giggling at Shadow's behaviour, the bat amused at how drastically he'd changed in no time at all.
It was cute.
All four of you were sat on the sofa after dinner was done and the dishes were clean, with you and Rouge on your respective partner's laps, enjoying each other's presence.
A random movie was on, though none of you really paid attention to it, far too busy snuggling.
Rouge eventually fell asleep on Knuckles, quietly snoozing, urging the echidna to carry her into her bedroom and tuck her in.
As he did that, you felt Shadow tighten his grip on you, and you nuzzled against his chest, quiet.
He didn't feel right in leaving you here.
He wanted to be with you, but... you'd just gotten together.
Surely he couldn't ask you to move in with him this fast?
Still, he wanted to ask...
"Hey, Y/N." He spoke, seemingly reluctantly so.
"Mmh?" Maybe if he gave a good reasoning?
He didn't want to wait.
What if you got sick again and he wasn't there?
"If... if you'd like to spend the night at my place, you're welcome to." You paused, watching as he glanced to the side, almost expecting a 'no', though you surprised him with a kiss to the cheek, smiling.
"I'd love to."
Elsewhere, somewhere a fair distance away from you, a man stood atop a building, watching over the empty streets, his eyes glowing an intense blue in the dark of the night.
Holding out his hand, an orb hovered above it, showing the face of your father, his expression serious.
"Have you located her?" He asked, green eyes seemingly gazing directly into the soul of the man holding the orb.
"Not exactly, my Lord. However, I have reason to believe she is in this very city. She left traces of power that is clearly descended from you nearby, and even left a little trail for me to follow. She will be returned to you soon." Said the man, clearly loyal to Mephiles.
"Don't fail me, Acheron." Replied the green-eyed demon, to which Acheron bowed his head in respect.
"Worry not, my Lord. I shall return her to you safely." The orb shrunk in size until it completely disappeared, and Acheron looked over the city with a slight smile.
"You can't hide forever, little lady." With those words, Acheron jumped off the building and disappeared into the night, tirelessly searching for you.