[Sonadow] ~Beyond The Rivalry~

~Hospital~

"Can we see him?" Dr. Hynes gave a nod

"Yes, you can now... but like I said earlier he needs all the rest he can get, so let's make the conversations short" He gave a smile as Tails returned it and rushed to the room with everyone else following Shadow chaos controlled in front of the door as Tails slowed down to catch his breath

"T-That was s-so un-unnecessary" Shadow only chuckled as everyone else came up

"I'll go last, you all go first" They all nodded and went in as pairs Tails and Amy, Rouge and Knuckles, and Shadow last

"Sonic!" The azure one gave a smile and held out his arms for Tails to hug him as they embraced in a tight hug

"Hi, Tails! Buddy— how are you doing?!" Tails let go and had tears running down his face

"Don't worry about me— how are you doing?! You're the one in the hospital bed!" Sonic chuckled

"Cliche" Before he could say anything else Amy jumped on him

"Don't ever do that again you stupid hedgehog!! You scared the hell out of me!!" Amy didn't know that her hammer appeared as she brought it down destroying one of the tables, Sonic's eyes widened

"Uh, Ames.. your ham— WATCH THE HAMMER!!" She said an oh before making it disappear as she gently brought him into a hug

"You really scared me..." Sonic hugged back

"I know— I know, and I'm sorry" She broke the hug and shared a sad smile

"Let's not waste any time... you have three more visitors— Tails let's get going.. we'll see you tomorrow Sonic— get all the rest you need!!" Amy and Tails shared one more hug as Amy had to drag Tails out of the room as Rouge and Knuckles were seen, the white bat instantly flew to the azure one and embraced him

"How are you doing baby blue?" Sonic smiled into the hug

"I'm doing fine, mama Rouge!" He pulled away as she stepped aside slightly for Knuckles to give him a fist pump

"Good to see you doing alright blue" Sonic returned it

"Right back at you knucklehead" He chuckled as he shared a look with Rouge and she winked

"Let's not waste up all of your time, blue... you have one last visitor— and trust me, he doesn't like to wait" She smirked as Knuckles mumbled a question and she whispered into his ear and turned them both around to walk out as Sonic heard an:

"WHAT?!"

After exchanging a poignant final farewell, Sonic lay on the hospital bed, his fingers nervously twisting together as he gazed down at the bland white sheets. Dread churned in his stomach, and he couldn't help but feel a rising sense of anxiety.

Shadow was the last visitor he would see, and the thought of it made his heart race. This shouldn't have been a difficult moment—confronting the brooding, ebony-hued hedgehog usually came with an adrenaline-fueled confidence.

Yet, now, in the sterile confines of the hospital room, everything felt different. He struggled to understand why the encounter ahead felt so formidable, a heavy weight pressing down on him amidst the medical equipment that filled the room and the faint hum of the fluorescent lights overhead.

Sonic's train of thought was abruptly halted by a soft, rhythmic knocking at the door. He glanced up to see Shadow, his silhouette striking against the dim light of the room, poised and waiting just outside the threshold.

The tension in the air was palpable as Shadow cleared his throat, the sound echoing slightly in the stillness. His crimson eyes, intense yet filled with an expectant calm, seemed to seek permission to enter as if weighing the moment with careful deliberation.