Sonic's P.O.V

Shadow refused to eat when I made him a SINGLE. WAFFLE. Just ONE! He needs to eat, even if it's not much!! "No. I don't want to." I sighed, "Shadow, you have to eat. It's not up for discussion." He groaned and slumped in the chair he had to stand on.

I rolled my eyes and forced him to stand up, but his legs were limp and he fell on the chair. I panicked for a second before I realized- "Your legs are fine! Shadow- stop being lazy!!" He laid on the chair, not moving. I was confused until I heard light snoring, "Shadow!!" I shook him lightly and he looked up at me, blinking and rubbing his eyes. "Eh?"

I gave him a deadpan look, "Get. Up. No more sleeping." He whined, "I want to sleep..." Well, no crap. I picked him up and sat in the chair, putting him in my lap. The tired hedgie leaning against my body without thinking. "Mmm..." He moaned tiredly. "Shadow, you have to wake up." He shook his head lightly and rested against my stomach, sitting up.

His head was against me, his eyes were closed. His right hand rested on me, next to his head, while his left arm, the one closer to me, resting in his lap. He looked adorably peaceful, but... ok, I might've gone about this the wrong way-

So, I picked him up in front of me from under his armpits, he looked at me, opening his eyes, and then I dropped him on the floor. "WA-!" He face-planted on the ground and groaned. "What... the... hell... was that for..?" I picked him back up and sat him in my lap. "You have to eat." He sighed and slumped in my lap as I turned him around to face the table and picked up the fork, stabbing a piece of waffle.

Shadow opened his mouth, so I inserted the waffle. After he finished the bite, he looked pleased, so he liked it, definitely. I continued to feed him the waffle since he decided to eat now. After he finished, he laid against me, curling up a little.

Why is he so tired? He slept so much! I just don't get it- did he over sleep? This guy is crazy. "Hey, Shadz." He looked up at me, "Huh..?" I picked him up and stood, holding him under his arms and lifting him up. "Change of plans. Tails said to come over to his place instead. So we're getting ready." He rolled his eyes, but nodded in acknowledgement.

Tails was just gonna run a few tests on him, take a few samples, and we wouldn't have to go back until he was done analyzing. Today is gonna be easy peasy, lemon squeezy. Shadow will not be a problem.

--

After getting Shadow ready, also removing his 'protection' since I don't want to embarrass him too much, I sped us over to Tails' workshop. Shadow was more awake now, which is good. I knocked on the door and Tails, as always, almost IMMEDIATELY answered. "Hey, Sonic! Come in!"

I entered his workshop with Shadow in hand. "Put him over there." Tails gestured to a workbench while he was grabbing a few things. I closed the door and went to place Shadow on the table.

Tails left the room to grab some stuff and I just stood there next to Shadow who sat on the table. "...Will it hurt?" He asked suddenly. I looked down at him and shrugged, looking unsure. I couldn't give him an honest answer because I didn't know. I knew it probably would though, and I'm worried for him.

When Tails came back in the room, he had a tool kit and some other supplies. "Ok- first, I'm gonna ask you a few questions, some may be a bit personal." Shadow nodded compliantly.

Tails cleared his throat, "Anything feel off about yourself recently?" Shadow nodded a little. "How much has your behavior changed?" Shadow spoke quietly, "Quite a bit." Tails nodded and took some notes. "How's your little... 'voice'?" Shadow was quiet for a moment before speaking, "...Doesn't like you." Tails nodded, "Checks out. Do you feel it becoming in control a lot more recently?"

Shadow shook his head, "It's been less of it, more of me. Which would be good if I hadn't started acting off myself." Tails nodded again and took a few more notes. The kit then leaned into Shadow's ear, asking a question so I couldn't hear before backing off. Shadow blushed a little and averted eye contact and then gave a thumbs up.

I was so confused. "So... good?" Tails asked to confirm and Shadow nodded, but then waved Tails closer and whispered something else in his ear. Tails nodded and then backed up again, writing a few more notes while Shadow blushed. "Can you describe your behavioral changes?"

Shadow went on to explain how sometimes he can't catch himself in the act, so he has me help him with that. Tails took more notes. "Got it, thank you." Tails then grabbed a few items from a medical kit that he has lying around. Stuff you'd probably see at a doctor's office.

Tails spoke again, "Now onto the physical part." I can't imagine Shadz has been to a doctor before, so I don't think he'd know how it works. First, Tails put on the stethoscope and held the cold, metal circle to Shadow's chest. The little hedgehog flinched and crawled backwards. "Shadow, what I'm doing won't hurt you. None of this will."

Shadow still looked tense, but nodded and agreed. As Tails put the metal back on his chest, he tensed up, so I reached over to rub his back and he calmed down a bit. Tails wrote down his heartbeat and proceeded to do a few other tests.

He checked Shadow's ears, but they kept flicking. I had to physically hold them up. And then the reaction test, when Tails brought a hammer to his knee, he moved away before he could get hit we had to explain the test to him. After telling him countless times that it was necessary, we did that test too.

We did an eye test on Shadow which he passed. He didn't get why he had to read the letters though. We did a weight and height check, Shadow coming out to being barely a foot tall and only 11 pounds in weight. He's practically a newborn! It's a miracle he can even walk and talk, but Tails said that hedgehog are also really small when young, sooo... Just sayin', I do not remember being that tiny.

After completing the tests, Tails pulled me away from Shadow. "Hey, bud, what's up?" Tails looked nervous, "You know how Shadow was freaking out about the other tests..?" I nodded slowly, letting Tails continue, "Well... I kinda need a blood sample." My eyes widened. Uh oh. That meant using a needle. If I hate needles, I can't imagine how Shadow must feel about them.

We slowly went back over to Shadow who seemed concerned by our behavior, "What's going on..? I'm done, right?" I sucked my teeth, "Well-" Tails cut me off, "Of course! Just one more thing." Shadow nodded. I went to his side. "You a righty or a lefty?" Tails asked him. "...Righty?" Tails nodded and grabbed the syringe, hiding it from Shadow's view.

"Sonic, grab his left arm for me." I nodded and gently grabbed his arm, extending it. Tails slowly came over and pulled out the needle, and when Shadow saw it, it was all over. "NEEDLE?!" He scrambled to try and get away, but he couldn't escape my grip. "NO WAY, FAKER!" He tried to pull his arm away. "Shadow, Tails needs-" "NO!!!" He screamed and flailed.

Tails brought it closer to him and he whined and yelled like a toddler throwing a tantrum. "NO SHOTS!" Tails sighed, "Shadow, we need to." He stubbornly shook his head. I got an idea and reached my head over behind him to the right side of his face and blew at him. He looked at me and glared. "Faker..." I smirked, "What's wrong, Shadz?"

I blew at him again and he tried to wack me with his right hand. I let him do it of course and blew in his face again. He wackos me in response. He was about to wack me again when I gave Tails the signal to insert the needle. I held Shadow's arm straight in my awkward position and watched as the needle went into his arm. I closed my eyes and turned my head away.

Even if it wasn't me, I felt sympathy pain for him. I hated shots as well. When I re-opened my eyes, I saw Shadow staring at the syringe. I uncurled myself from the awkward position and held his arm straight until Tails pulled out the needle. Shadow saw his blood in the tube and tears appeared in his eyes.

Me and Tails looked at each other in shock, not expecting that. I slowly reached over and rubbed his head, "Hey... Shadow?" His lip started to quiver and we gulped. "...Yo, Shadz..?" I watched as his wall slowly broke and he started to cry, soon starting to sob. Tails immediately took the needle out of sight and shuffled through his med-kit for something.

I panicked and picked Shadow up into my arms, cradling him and petting his head. He clung to me and sobbing into my chest, making me freeze. The fact he was so accepting of this and just gave in surprised me. But I don't think he was thinking straight either. He gripped me and sobbed into my chest as I shushed him and pet his quills.

Tails finally found what he was looking for, a bandaid, which he gently applied on Shadow, which made him calm down a little. "Don't worry, Shadow, it's all over! I just needed a little blood sample. You're ok." Shadow turned his head to look at Tails and sniffed, "O-Ok."

I continued to pet him and he didn't stop me. He continued to cry softly for a while before calming down. His breathing was irregular and definitely not steady, but he tried his best to take deep breaths.

After he'd completely calmed down, Tails took him from my arms. "Since you were so brave, you want a treat?" Shadow sniffed, "I'm not a baby, nor a dog. And I wasn't brave, I anything but. That was a cowardly display." He spoke poorly of himself.

I decided to cheer him up a bit, "Pffft- cowardly? C'mon, Shadz- You were totally brave!" I grinned. "I didn't even let you try..." He argued. My grin faded. He does have a point... "Well- so what? You were scared, and you didn't let us do it, but you stayed still when Tails did do it. You didn't complain until after. That was brave." I smiled at him softly.

Shadow's eyes widened a little, most likely contemplating what I said.

Shadow's P.O.V

I guess... he's right. I was terrified, petrified... but I didn't fight during it. I froze out of fear... but I let it happen. And then I curled up against him like some kinda- baby.

He just... wanted to help... and so did the fox, I guess... Maybe it wasn't so bad..? I touched the spot that the fox covered in the bandaid and winced, whimpering a little. Yeah- ok- no- it was bad- but I did it, right? And it'll never have to happen again.

Yeah. "...You promise I won't have to do it again?" Sonic smiled and nodded, "Of course, Shad." I looked at Tails. "Will I?" He shook his head, "All good!" I sighed in relief at their reassurance and nodded. "...So, you want a treat?" Tails grinned nervously and I hesitated before nodding. I blushed quite a bit.

Yeah... I accomplished something. I 'faced my fear'. Maybe a little sweet wouldn't hurt... I didn't become any less scared of needles, but... I did something...

I learned to trust.