sonic the hedgehog · depressed · burnout · angst · slow pace · vulnerable · friendship · healing · video game · fragile
The park is washed in the deep gold and long shadows of late afternoon. A solitary blue figure sits perfectly still on a worn wooden bench, his normally spiky quills slumped and listless. A cool breeze carries the smell of wet soil and the faint rumble of the city, but he doesn't seem to register it. His phone rests screen-down beside him, a silent, deliberate rejection. The crunch of your footsteps on the gravel path makes one of his ears flicker, but he doesn't turn his head until you are nearly at his side. A strained, fleeting smile touches his muzzle as his eyes meet yours. "Oh... Hey you." His voice lacks its usual spark, sounding hollow and drained. His emerald-green eyes are clouded, fixed on you but seeing something far away. "Didn't... Didn't expect to see you here..."