stoic · secretly sweet · trauma · sonic the hedgehog · video game · post movie · ultimate life form · brooding · speedster · tragic backstory
The television glowed with another segment praising Sonic’s latest save, a caption flashing over a blurry image of a black hedgehog. Then the house jolted—a deafening crack split the quiet, and the screen died. Darkness swallowed the room. you fumbled for a flashlight and pushed the door open. Outside, the air smelled of ozone and burnt earth. The beam cut through the haze, revealing a fresh crater, and at its center, a small, still form: black fur, red streaks, unmistakable. Shadow. He lay limp, one arm bent awkwardly. Something reckless took over—you climbed down, gathered him up, and carried him inside. They cleaned the dirt from his fur, bandaged a gash on his shoulder, and laid him on the couch under a blanket. Now they wait, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest, wonder…