Hyggestund

Christmas morning starts bleak. There is nothing interesting on TV, and Shadow gives up on it pretty quick. Maybe a movie? He contemplates the idea for a second, but watching anything alone… feels jarring today. It’s Christmas after all. Usually he, Omega and Rouge have a movie marathon together as a team, just the three of them. But this year Shadow had to celebrate Christmas Eve on his own due to both of his teammates being away on a mission, and haven’t Rouge been very vocal about the terrible timing… She moaned about it on and on last time they had a call, and she mentioned that Omega is also brooding, having already made a list of things to watch on Christmas Day. No, watching something without them is just plain wrong now. The black hedgehog wanders about aimlessly for a while after turning off the TV, but nothing else catches his interest. He doesn’t want to go outside into the cold either. When he passes by the kitchen window again, his gaze lingers on a few candles on the windowsill a second too long. The day before Christmas Eve was spent at Amy’s. A sleepover. Shadow wasn’t sure about going, but Rouge basically forced him out of the apartment before leaving for the mission, and he decided to give it a try. Turns out, everyone brought their own blankets and comfy things, and the black hedgehog was on the verge of going back home but… Rose pulled one of her own oversize hoodies out of the wardrobe for him, Tails had a spare pair of woolen socks for some reason, and Sonic kindly gave up his red checkered blanket in favour of sharing one with his brother. He says “kindly” now, but really there was a lot of teasing and flourish about it. Still. The Ultimate Lifeform ended up dozing off in the warm embrace of that blanket, barely aware enough to place his unfinished hot chocolate on the armrest of his chair, lulled to sleep by the murmurs and laughter of other people around him, the smell of cookies wafting through the air and the flickering candlelight. Shadow turns away from the window, scanning the kitchen for a lighter which always turns up in different places somehow. When he finds it, he takes the candles to the living room, lighting and placing them around on the furniture, then goes into his own room for a pack of salty sweets scented tealights someone at G.U.N. gifted him last Christmas and lights a few of them, too. The room becomes a little cozier. The hedgehog nods thoughtfully and brings a few throw pillows from Rouge’s bedroom – he doubts she’d mind. Now this, this is almost perfect. The only thing that would make it better— A doorbell rings. The agent’s heart jumps into his throat, and he stares at the front door. He isn’t waiting for anyone, is he? Slowly, he creeps up to the peephole and takes a look outside. Bundled up in a scarf and a jacket, none other than Sonic the Hedgehog stands on his doorstep with his arms behind his back. “Merry Christmas!” he blurts out happily the moment Shadow opens the door, and thrusts a wrapped gift at his rival. The other takes a step back and looks down at the package blankly. Sonic walks into the hall, and the door clicks closed behind him on his own. “I, uh… Amy mentioned yesterday that Rouge and Omega had to leave you alone for Christmas, and none of us thought to invite you. Sorry about that by the way… I got you a gift though! Wasn’t planning on giving it to you today, ha-ha. But, umm.” The dark agent starts to unwrap his gift right then and there in the hallway, and Sonic shuts up just enough to watch him tear off the corner to reveal some kinda fabric underneath. “I noticed that you seemed to really like that blanket I lent you, and I decided I’ll go to the same store and find you the same one, but Tails got me mine years ago, and they since discontinued it,” Sonic takes a breath and stares down at the gift in Shadow’s hands again. “I tried on every single blanket they had! And they were just… scratchy! Really uncomfortable!” The Ultimate Lifeform takes off the rest of wrapping paper and unfolds the dark grey checkered blanket. It doesn’t feel scratchy. As a matter of fact, it is quite soft. Meanwhile, Sonic continues: “…But then! I walked by their last chance department, and something made me check it out,” he spreads his hands. “Ta-da! Here it is. Well, not exactly the same one—” “Thank you,” Shadow interrupts, still looking at the blanket, his fingers sinking into the material. The other hedgehog brightens up and exclaims: “Cool! I’m glad you like it!” “I haven’t said so yet, I’m just being polite.” “Oh,” the blue hedgehog’s ears fall in embarrassment, and Shadow immediately feels… well, not guilty but this outcome – now when he witnesses it – is undesirable. He does like the gift. Behind his back the apartment is quiet with only the whisper of the Christmas music from the old radio they never really turn off. He’ll probably put on a kettle for some cinnamon and clove flavoured black tea to fit the festive occasion, and it will boil and bobble merrily for a few minutes, but then it will all become quiet again. The black hedgehog discreetly brings the gifted blanket a bit closer to his nose to take a sniff. The blanket he took over at that sleepover smelt like Sonic’s fur – comforting if not exactly the nicest smell. This one is new, fresh; he wouldn’t put it past his rival to have washed it even, seeing how much effort he made looking for a perfect cozy blanket. “Will you stay for tea?” “Huh?” “You can stay for tea,” Shadow tries again. “If you want. To know whether I like it. Your gift.” He turns around, not bothered about leaving Sonic in the hall, and a moment later hears the rustle of a jacket being taken off and tentative footsteps following him. He drops his gift on the couch, and it’s still there when they return to it later with mugs full of aromatic tea, surrounded by equally cozy pillows and the scent of burning candles. His rival flounders by the couch while Shadow wraps himself into the corner of his new blanket, and he has to tag on the other hedgehog’s arm to coax him into joining, but they share the blanket in the end. It is then that Shadow takes a sip of his tea, looks around and nods in satisfaction. “Now,” he says, feeling Sonic’s shoulder press into his and hearing him hum in acknowledgement, the warmth and comfort shared between them. “This is a perfect gift.”