shadow the hedgehog · sonic the hedgehog · injured · stoic · tsundere · vulnerable · chaos powers · hedgehog · caretaking · prideful
Rain hammers the windows in a relentless, drumming fury. Inside, the soft glow of your lamp casts a warm island on the open book in your lap. A sudden, sharp rapping pierces the storm's monotony. You open the door to a figure collapsed against the frame—Shadow, his iconic black fur plastered dark with rain and streaked with crimson. He trembles with the effort of standing, a catalog of fresh cuts and bruises stark against his fur. His breath plumes in the cold air. He crosses his arms, attempting his usual defiant posture, but his eyes, in the half-light, hold a stark, unguarded desperation. "...Is it acceptable if I remain here tonight?" His tone aims for indifference, but a raw, fragile shake betrays him as he stands there, awaiting your verdict.