Sonic the Hedgehog | Comfortable Silence
Nov. 15th, 2023 12:44 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bedesRating: G
Fandom: Sonic the Hedgehog
Characters: Rouge the Bat, Shadow the Hedgehog, Knuckles the Echidna (briefly), Amy Rose (briefly), Sonic the Hedgehog (briefly), Miles "Tails" Prower (briefly)
Relationships: Rouge the Bat & Shadow the Hedgehog
Words: 1,500
Content Warnings: N/A
Tropes: Autistic Character (Shadow the Hedgehog & Knuckles the Echidna), Slice of Life, Misunderstanding
Summary: Rouge took to this new "having friends" business much easier than Shadow seemed to be. Although how rude Shadow could be at times certainly wasn't helping his case.
(Or: Rouge tries to grow closer to Shadow, who is autistic, and finds that all of her attempts to bond with him trigger his sensory issues.)
Hiya!! Very excited to share this - my work for the "Oops! All Autistic!" zine!! It's a digital zine, all about autistic characters in animation, that you can download for free on itch.io.
I was actually the head mod for the zine (among other things)! I originally wasn't gonna participate as a creator, but one of our writers ended up dropping out during the very last week of the creation period... I didn't feel like there was enough time to reasonably ask a pitch-hitter to come and fill their spot, so I did it myself!
This is my first time writing for Sonic the Hedgehog, so I would like to extend a very special thank-you to Ninaiso for helping me with questions I had about the Sonic the Hedgehog canon, and for proof-reading it to check whether it was in-character! You're a real one!
It was always business whenever Rouge tried to speak to Shadow, it seemed.
Now, she didn't used to mind this. Back when she was happier with the company of a gemstone rather than a friend, her and Shadow's arrangement worked just fine for both of them. If anything, she was only worried that Shadow didn't seem to take to her, because of her easy-to-talk to demeanor being key to many of her strategies.
Much had changed since then, though. Over time, she had been slowly integrated into the heroes' little group, and, before she realized what was happening, she had started to join them, not only in fighting Robotnik, but also in their casual hangouts. Stubborn as ever, and never losing that willingness to fight with the other heroes if they disagreed with her, she found her rough edges being sanded away. And perhaps worse — she found she didn't mind.
Shadow did not receive the same treatment.
It was likely a matter of willingness. Rouge was quite the socialite, after all. In contrast, even Shadow's allies are lucky to get a handful of words out of him.
Still, Rouge looked back at him, and couldn't help but feel like he too, should open up a bit.
Couldn't help but feel like she had left her old partner behind.
And, while she was currently working on searching for a certain prism... Well, a woman could multitask.
"Somehow, I'm getting the feeling you lied about needing me here."
Rouge perked up from where she stood admiring the shoe display, and turned to look at Shadow. "Oh, 'lie' is such a strong word! I prefer... 'Overexaggerate'." She chuckled, shooting him a mischievous smile.
Shadow, currently leaning against the wall of the small clothing shop, gave her a thoroughly unimpressed look.
Rouge walked back over to him, waving the hand which wasn't carrying every jeweled object the shop offered. "Oh, don't give me that. It's not as if you'd have exactly come running if I told you that I wanted to check out the new boutique, would you? And speaking of, darling, didn't I tell you to pick some things out for yourself, as well?"
Shadow's expression didn't change, brushing a hand through his quills. "I don't bring money to what I assume is going to be a heist."
Rouge's body stiffened, quickly turning to the owner of the small store to ensure the owner didn't hear Shadow's casual mention of a robbery. Honestly, it was as if he had no self-awareness at times.
Assured that they weren't being kicked out, Rouge turned back to Shadow, shrugging. "The least you can do is look around."
"The lights are too loud."
It was Rouge's turn to give an incredulous look, furrowing her brows. "Pardon?"
Shadow spoke slower this time, with a tone indicating that Rouge was the stupid one for not getting it the first time. "The lights are too loud."
Rouge nodded slowly, then brought her attention to her ears. If anything was making noise, she, out of anyone, should be able to hear it. After a few moments of focusing, she noticed a sound which she had tuned out: a low buzzing. One which, indeed, was louder than one would expect, and seemingly came from the overhead lights.
Rouge stopped focusing, and brought a hand to her chin, thinking. "Right."
She distantly wondered if Shadow was making an excuse. She had a pair of the most sensitive ears around. If anyone had a right to complain about noise, it was her. But, if the goal was to get Shadow to make more connections, perhaps modeling understanding would be better than asking questions.
After calculating her next step, Rouge grinned at her shopping partner, already turning to walk towards the desk. "Then come, now. It's time for you to watch a professional haggler at work."
Going out, then, was a bust. But Rouge was able to work with that. Her plot was flexible, after all, and the next plan was more similar to her own path to companionship — namely, being around the heroes as a group.
Getting Shadow to join them involved a lot more force than she had needed, but that was a minor bump in the road. Less minor, was a refusal to participate.
As herself, Amy, Sonic, Tails and Knuckles all chatted with ease about whatever came to mind, Shadow sat on a rock next to Rouge, completely silent unless directly prompted to speak. And even then, sometimes, the person speaking to him would just get a stare in return. Without looking, Rouge could feel Shadow's leg bouncing idly as he sat, with eventually, all of this culminating in him getting up and leaving without a word as Tails spoke.
She turned to watch him go in shock, and she heard the other heroes chirp out their goodbyes from behind her; including Tails, who interrupted himself for the sake of doing so.
Rouge crossed one leg over the other, sighing loudly as she turned back to the group. Shadow couldn't stand being one-on-one with Rouge, and he couldn't stand being with her in a group setting... She worried for him. She didn't like it, but she did.
"Well, that was a bit rude, wasn't it?"
The others gave various noncommittal responses — shrugs, head tilts, hums. Amy was the only one to speak, replying in an almost defensive tone, "He's not exactly the talkative type. I'm just glad he came!"
Rouge nodded thoughtfully. "I know. I just..." She tilted her head to one side, sighing again. "I just wish he would put in a bit of effort into getting out of his constant brooding solitude."
She jumped a bit in her spot when everyone responded at once. One starting with "but", another ending with "though". Variable deliveries. But all saying the same thing: "He is."
Knuckles, from his spot in a tree's shade, pointed upwards. "Especially when the sun's so bright."
Ah. Rouge hadn't noticed it, but it was rather bright out today; hardly a cloud in the sky. She knew of Knuckles' tendencies to avoid harsh sunlight wherever he could, due to him being autistic. It hadn't occurred to her that perhaps Shadow had similar issues. Though, of course, Shadow and Knuckles shared quite a few traits. Both men of few words, with an aversion to touch and quick tempers.
... Wait.
Oh, how to ask this. Rouge brought her hand to her face, resting her cheek against it. "Oh, darlings, I just had a thought. Do you lot think that, perhaps, Shadow is...?"
Sonic beat her to the punch. "Autistic?"
Rouge blinked a few times, caught off guard, before nodding curtly. "Yes."
"I've never got the chance to ask, but I've been assuming." Knuckles replied.
Sonic nodded at Knuckles with his signature grin. "Yeah, were we not all waiting for him to bring it up himself?" He looked around, surveying reactions.
"I never considered it," Tails responded, raising an eyebrow thoughtfully, "But it would explain an awful lot."
Then, Amy piped in with a wave of her hand and said, "Yeah, same here!" She looked at Rouge with curiosity. "Why do you ask?"
Rouge belatedly noticed her ears pinned back and straightened them, leaning back on her hands and sighing loudly. "Oh, I worry I've been internally putting too heavy of expectations onto him."
"Well, if it's just internally, then you can fix that, right?" Sonic replied easily. "Shadow's... Not the easiest guy to get a read on, but you're doing fine."
Rouge continued thinking for a moment, before smiling, her body releasing tension she hadn't realized it was holding. "Thank you, darling. I am doing my best."
Long after the others had dispersed, Rouge remained perched on her rock, eyes closed, face turned towards the sun and deep in thought. About how she had allowed herself to rely on others. What that looked like.
What that might look like for others different than her.
"I wish he could put in effort."
"He is."
Perhaps, it wasn't the actions taken while together that mattered to Shadow. Perhaps the act of talking, of shopping... Maybe that was secondary.
"The lights are too loud."
"Especially when the sun's so bright."
"I'm just glad he came!"
It seemed that just putting in the effort to be around others at all was Shadow's way of making connections.
Rouge hummed. Someone else hummed back.
She jolted in place, squeaking and her eyes opening wide. She quickly turned towards the sound, then relaxed, exhaling gently when she saw Shadow. Sitting in the same shady spot Knuckles had been; absentmindedly brushing his quills with his free hand as he read from a book in silence.
He glanced up, noticing Rouge noticing him. He held up a hand in a silent 'hello'. Rouge raised her hand back, giving a wave and a grin. Before Shadow lowered his hand and resumed silently reading, he grinned back.
The two of them sat in each other's company for many hours, after that.
Fandom: Sonic the Hedgehog
Characters: Rouge the Bat, Shadow the Hedgehog, Knuckles the Echidna (briefly), Amy Rose (briefly), Sonic the Hedgehog (briefly), Miles "Tails" Prower (briefly)
Relationships: Rouge the Bat & Shadow the Hedgehog
Words: 1,500
Content Warnings: N/A
Tropes: Autistic Character (Shadow the Hedgehog & Knuckles the Echidna), Slice of Life, Misunderstanding
Summary: Rouge took to this new "having friends" business much easier than Shadow seemed to be. Although how rude Shadow could be at times certainly wasn't helping his case.
(Or: Rouge tries to grow closer to Shadow, who is autistic, and finds that all of her attempts to bond with him trigger his sensory issues.)
Hiya!! Very excited to share this - my work for the "Oops! All Autistic!" zine!! It's a digital zine, all about autistic characters in animation, that you can download for free on itch.io.
I was actually the head mod for the zine (among other things)! I originally wasn't gonna participate as a creator, but one of our writers ended up dropping out during the very last week of the creation period... I didn't feel like there was enough time to reasonably ask a pitch-hitter to come and fill their spot, so I did it myself!
This is my first time writing for Sonic the Hedgehog, so I would like to extend a very special thank-you to Ninaiso for helping me with questions I had about the Sonic the Hedgehog canon, and for proof-reading it to check whether it was in-character! You're a real one!
It was always business whenever Rouge tried to speak to Shadow, it seemed.
Now, she didn't used to mind this. Back when she was happier with the company of a gemstone rather than a friend, her and Shadow's arrangement worked just fine for both of them. If anything, she was only worried that Shadow didn't seem to take to her, because of her easy-to-talk to demeanor being key to many of her strategies.
Much had changed since then, though. Over time, she had been slowly integrated into the heroes' little group, and, before she realized what was happening, she had started to join them, not only in fighting Robotnik, but also in their casual hangouts. Stubborn as ever, and never losing that willingness to fight with the other heroes if they disagreed with her, she found her rough edges being sanded away. And perhaps worse — she found she didn't mind.
Shadow did not receive the same treatment.
It was likely a matter of willingness. Rouge was quite the socialite, after all. In contrast, even Shadow's allies are lucky to get a handful of words out of him.
Still, Rouge looked back at him, and couldn't help but feel like he too, should open up a bit.
Couldn't help but feel like she had left her old partner behind.
And, while she was currently working on searching for a certain prism... Well, a woman could multitask.
"Somehow, I'm getting the feeling you lied about needing me here."
Rouge perked up from where she stood admiring the shoe display, and turned to look at Shadow. "Oh, 'lie' is such a strong word! I prefer... 'Overexaggerate'." She chuckled, shooting him a mischievous smile.
Shadow, currently leaning against the wall of the small clothing shop, gave her a thoroughly unimpressed look.
Rouge walked back over to him, waving the hand which wasn't carrying every jeweled object the shop offered. "Oh, don't give me that. It's not as if you'd have exactly come running if I told you that I wanted to check out the new boutique, would you? And speaking of, darling, didn't I tell you to pick some things out for yourself, as well?"
Shadow's expression didn't change, brushing a hand through his quills. "I don't bring money to what I assume is going to be a heist."
Rouge's body stiffened, quickly turning to the owner of the small store to ensure the owner didn't hear Shadow's casual mention of a robbery. Honestly, it was as if he had no self-awareness at times.
Assured that they weren't being kicked out, Rouge turned back to Shadow, shrugging. "The least you can do is look around."
"The lights are too loud."
It was Rouge's turn to give an incredulous look, furrowing her brows. "Pardon?"
Shadow spoke slower this time, with a tone indicating that Rouge was the stupid one for not getting it the first time. "The lights are too loud."
Rouge nodded slowly, then brought her attention to her ears. If anything was making noise, she, out of anyone, should be able to hear it. After a few moments of focusing, she noticed a sound which she had tuned out: a low buzzing. One which, indeed, was louder than one would expect, and seemingly came from the overhead lights.
Rouge stopped focusing, and brought a hand to her chin, thinking. "Right."
She distantly wondered if Shadow was making an excuse. She had a pair of the most sensitive ears around. If anyone had a right to complain about noise, it was her. But, if the goal was to get Shadow to make more connections, perhaps modeling understanding would be better than asking questions.
After calculating her next step, Rouge grinned at her shopping partner, already turning to walk towards the desk. "Then come, now. It's time for you to watch a professional haggler at work."
Going out, then, was a bust. But Rouge was able to work with that. Her plot was flexible, after all, and the next plan was more similar to her own path to companionship — namely, being around the heroes as a group.
Getting Shadow to join them involved a lot more force than she had needed, but that was a minor bump in the road. Less minor, was a refusal to participate.
As herself, Amy, Sonic, Tails and Knuckles all chatted with ease about whatever came to mind, Shadow sat on a rock next to Rouge, completely silent unless directly prompted to speak. And even then, sometimes, the person speaking to him would just get a stare in return. Without looking, Rouge could feel Shadow's leg bouncing idly as he sat, with eventually, all of this culminating in him getting up and leaving without a word as Tails spoke.
She turned to watch him go in shock, and she heard the other heroes chirp out their goodbyes from behind her; including Tails, who interrupted himself for the sake of doing so.
Rouge crossed one leg over the other, sighing loudly as she turned back to the group. Shadow couldn't stand being one-on-one with Rouge, and he couldn't stand being with her in a group setting... She worried for him. She didn't like it, but she did.
"Well, that was a bit rude, wasn't it?"
The others gave various noncommittal responses — shrugs, head tilts, hums. Amy was the only one to speak, replying in an almost defensive tone, "He's not exactly the talkative type. I'm just glad he came!"
Rouge nodded thoughtfully. "I know. I just..." She tilted her head to one side, sighing again. "I just wish he would put in a bit of effort into getting out of his constant brooding solitude."
She jumped a bit in her spot when everyone responded at once. One starting with "but", another ending with "though". Variable deliveries. But all saying the same thing: "He is."
Knuckles, from his spot in a tree's shade, pointed upwards. "Especially when the sun's so bright."
Ah. Rouge hadn't noticed it, but it was rather bright out today; hardly a cloud in the sky. She knew of Knuckles' tendencies to avoid harsh sunlight wherever he could, due to him being autistic. It hadn't occurred to her that perhaps Shadow had similar issues. Though, of course, Shadow and Knuckles shared quite a few traits. Both men of few words, with an aversion to touch and quick tempers.
... Wait.
Oh, how to ask this. Rouge brought her hand to her face, resting her cheek against it. "Oh, darlings, I just had a thought. Do you lot think that, perhaps, Shadow is...?"
Sonic beat her to the punch. "Autistic?"
Rouge blinked a few times, caught off guard, before nodding curtly. "Yes."
"I've never got the chance to ask, but I've been assuming." Knuckles replied.
Sonic nodded at Knuckles with his signature grin. "Yeah, were we not all waiting for him to bring it up himself?" He looked around, surveying reactions.
"I never considered it," Tails responded, raising an eyebrow thoughtfully, "But it would explain an awful lot."
Then, Amy piped in with a wave of her hand and said, "Yeah, same here!" She looked at Rouge with curiosity. "Why do you ask?"
Rouge belatedly noticed her ears pinned back and straightened them, leaning back on her hands and sighing loudly. "Oh, I worry I've been internally putting too heavy of expectations onto him."
"Well, if it's just internally, then you can fix that, right?" Sonic replied easily. "Shadow's... Not the easiest guy to get a read on, but you're doing fine."
Rouge continued thinking for a moment, before smiling, her body releasing tension she hadn't realized it was holding. "Thank you, darling. I am doing my best."
Long after the others had dispersed, Rouge remained perched on her rock, eyes closed, face turned towards the sun and deep in thought. About how she had allowed herself to rely on others. What that looked like.
What that might look like for others different than her.
"I wish he could put in effort."
"He is."
Perhaps, it wasn't the actions taken while together that mattered to Shadow. Perhaps the act of talking, of shopping... Maybe that was secondary.
"The lights are too loud."
"Especially when the sun's so bright."
"I'm just glad he came!"
It seemed that just putting in the effort to be around others at all was Shadow's way of making connections.
Rouge hummed. Someone else hummed back.
She jolted in place, squeaking and her eyes opening wide. She quickly turned towards the sound, then relaxed, exhaling gently when she saw Shadow. Sitting in the same shady spot Knuckles had been; absentmindedly brushing his quills with his free hand as he read from a book in silence.
He glanced up, noticing Rouge noticing him. He held up a hand in a silent 'hello'. Rouge raised her hand back, giving a wave and a grin. Before Shadow lowered his hand and resumed silently reading, he grinned back.
The two of them sat in each other's company for many hours, after that.
