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Captain Shadow sits at his desk, the gentle motion of his great ship against the waves threatening to lull him to sleep. He’d gotten somewhat of a head start on his paperwork before they’d pulled into port, but with more than halfway to go on budgeting repairs, not to mention planning the next voyage’s route, he’d rather be anywhere else.
Their last pillage of tea and crates filled with what was labelled as “drinkable yogurt” had been a spectacular gain, and his crew were more than pleased with the profits. His chief engineer had reported minimal damages during their last voyage, and those who had families to send money back to would still have a considerable amount left over for themselves, likely to be spent on weapon repairs if not new munitions altogether.
Shadow himself had used the remainder of his pistol’s ammunition in an attempt to take down the captain of the enemy ship- a monkey with the most unsettling look in his eye, supposedly called “Bongo.” A few shots in, it was obvious that this simian was in fact some sort of automaton and gunfire was not going to get Shadow anywhere. All his shots had done was tear away the fur from the monster’s form, and the foam that gave its fingers their rounded shape had been blown away, leaving only the cruel metal skeleton underneath.
The majority of his crew was currently preoccupied with taking down the rest of the robots on the ship before absconding with their wares, and out of the corner of his eye he could see his first mate, Sonic, deftly scaling the mast in an attempt to reach a vantage point. He doubtlessly had something planned, but what?
Suddenly, the beast was upon him, slashing violently with its new metal claws until Shadow deftly caught both ‘hands’ in his own. Metal fought against flesh in a test of strength- a test that Shadow was quickly losing despite his own legendary abilities. He kicked it back with a savage boot to the chest, but it only caused the metal brute to stumble back for a brief moment.
In the blink of an eye, Sonic had swung from the mast and landed in front of his captain and brandished his cutlass, exclaiming-
“Alright Bongo- let’s dance!”
“Sonic, get back-” the black-quilled captain had commanded, but his orders fell on deaf ears. Sonic charged at the brute at mach speed, landing a few sparse hits but only damaging the fiend’s strange attire.
“IT’S METAL YOU FUCKING IDIOT!” Shadow shouted in desperation. Honestly, Sonic could really get under his skin sometimes. Only a fool would constantly throw himself in such danger- if anything, he seemed to get a kick out of it.
Nonetheless, he covered his first mate’s back, if only to keep the fool out of more peril. The rest of the beast’s crew had mostly been dealt with- those of flesh and blood tied to the mast, and those made of metal had their internal animal captives freed, and they now ran and flew in little circles across the deck of the ship.
Still, the blue hedgehog continued his duel. The monstrosity’s eyes had begun to glow red, its molded maniacal grin unchanging; Sonic, however, was unphased as always. He was crouched and bouncing on his heels, waiting for his chance to strike. His eyes seemed to be searching for something, and suddenly it was found.
Captain Shadow’s earlier attempts to subdue the beast via gunshot had caused the fur to be pulled away, particularly around the neck and upper arms. Its true metal skeleton had been revealed, along with a myriad of wires underneath. Once Sonic had spotted his main target, a particularly thick red wire, he flipped his cutlass in his hand and deftly severed the line. “Bongo’s” form crumpled to the deck under its own weight, but its limbs were still functional.
Sonic hacked away at the wires connecting the hydraulic lines one by one, which caused hydraulic fluid to spill like blood, and the beast’s full form went limp.
Shadow had watched in awe, impressed by his first mate’s strategy. He stepped forward, brandishing a crowbar, and wedged it in the door of the lifeless form’s abdomen. It popped open, and sure enough a tiny primate resembling a rhesus monkey crawled up Sonic’s outstretched arm.
“Poor lil’ guy,” the blue-quilled hedgehog exclaimed, stroking its stiff fur playfully. Shadow tossed the crowbar aside and effortlessly grabbed the remains of the robot, hurling it over the edge of the ship and into the abyss.
“We’re done here. Vector- do we have everything?” he barked across the ship.
“Aye, captain!” cried the crocodile, lowering the last crate onto the rowboat waiting at the side of the ship. “Tea, spices, an’ a buncha crates that have somethin’ weird written on ‘em.” Vector’s role in their crew as Chief Cook was almost incidental- he was a decent chef, though nothing particularly remarkable in that regard. He seemed more interested in looking after Espio and Charmy, though as long as his brute strength could be used in raids, Shadow didn’t particularly care what his station onboard was. Managing inventory seemed to suit him well anyway.
Espio, the crew’s Chief Steward, secured the cargo and gestured to the crocodile above that their work was done. His assistant, Charmy, eagerly tried to piece together the mystery as Espio began to paddle back to their ship, Maria’s Blessing.
“Whaddya suppose it is?” the bee asked.
“I believe it says ‘smoothie.’”
“Whatsa smoothy? Can you eat one?”
“I am unsure, but one crate is labeled ‘strawberry’ and the other is labeled ‘banana,’ so my guess is that it has something to do with fruit.”
Once the rowboat was within range of Maria’s Blessing and its contents were being loaded, Chief Engineer Tails set up the plank that served as a means of crossing back over for his crewmates and captain. Sonic had just finished collecting the remaining freed small animals, and most formed a line close behind him as they crossed.
“That whole ship gives me the creeps,” the blue hedgehog remarked before gesturing to the enemy ship’s name written across the side. “The fuck is a Dannone?”
After they’d sold their stolen wares in the early hours of this morning, his crew milled about outside his cabin in the bridge awaiting their cut. At times like this, Shadow felt more like a nursemaid to a group of incorrigible children rather than a captain, though he understood their impatience. They’d been out for nearly four months at this point and despite their general camaraderie, nearly everyone was thoroughly sick of each other.
The captain set to work calculating each of his crew’s earnings first thing and sent them about their business for the next few days- anything to get them out of his quills for a few blissful hours of silence so he could concentrate.
There’s a firm knock on this door, and it opens. Shadow curses himself for not latching it before he sat down, but he’s pleased to see his first mate step across the mantle and make his way down the stairs and into the cabin.
“Afternoon Captain,” the blue-quilled hedgehog says cheerily. Sonic seems refreshed after a few hours ashore, having definitely taken advantage of the showers at the tavern and put on a brand new set of clothes.
“Afternoon. I take it that the animals have been released?”
“Yes sir!” Sonic replies, turning around the chair in front of the desk and taking a seat, leaning over the back of the chair. “Kinda sad to see ‘em go, but I know they’d hate livin’ on the ship full-time.”
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Shadow asks, deadpan.
“You wouldn’t happen to have sold all the tea we took, have you?” he asks. There’s a box from the local bakery in his hand, and something inside smells absolutely divine.
“Of course not. Vector should have some in the galley if you’d like some.”
“Good. You’re not too busy, are ya?”
“That depends.”
“I mean, it’s just about teatime, and I was thinkin’ that nothin’ pairs better with tea than scones,” he says, presenting the box. Shadow looks up, and the offering elicits a rare smile from the normally aloof hedgehog, but there’s a reason why Sonic is his first mate. His role is to ensure the well-being of everyone aboard- including his captain.
“I suppose I could take a small break, in that case.” He sets aside his quill and the remaining papers, happily.
“Will you be comin’ with us tonight for drinks?”
“Rouge will be upset if I don't make some sort of appearance tonight,” Shadow replies, reaching for a buttery currant scone.
“Well yeah, she’s literally harboring wanted criminals,” Sonic laughs. “Least you can do is get trashed in her tavern with the rest of us.”
“She’s more interested in the profits than my company.”
“Mmmmmaybe. I’ll let Charmy know to put the kettle on.”
Their crew is always welcomed with open arms at Rouge’s tavern. They always had spectacular stories to share, tipped exceptionally well, and one waitress absolutely adored Sonic in particular, despite his own disinterest in her. They’re already two rounds in before their hostess can join them.
“So where to next, ‘Captain?’” Rouge asks teasingly. Shadow takes a swig of his rum.
“There’s another shipment of tea headed from Chun-nan to Adabat. If we leave before the end of the week we should be able to intercept it in time.” She hums, sounding let down as she takes a seat beside them. It wasn’t often that her former piracy protégé pulled into port with his crew.
“I must say, I’m a little disappointed that you boys are spending your time chasing after little merchant ships when you could be going after much bigger prizes.”
“Such as?” Sonic asks, with a glint of excitement in his eye that his captain can’t help but admire. He won’t admit it, but he’s pleased that the blue-quilled hedgehog chose to sit beside him, and to his left. Shadow loathes when people sit to his right, mostly because he can’t see them as easily due to his eyepatch and has to turn to face them.
“The Kingdom of South Island just increased the reward for the return of their missing prince!” Amy pipes up, having overheard while caring for another table.
“Missing prince?” asks Vector. Shadow squints, intrigued, but doesn’t miss Sonic abruptly coughing and sputtering beside him. He slaps his first mate’s back in an attempt to dislodge whatever caused him to choke.
“Are you alright?” he asks quietly.
“Yeah, sorry- I just forgot how to drink for a sec there. I’m fine.”
“You hadn’t heard?” Amy’s eyes are wide with wonder. “One of the three royal children of South Island went missing years ago, and they’re getting desperate trying to find him. I wonder who could have taken him…”
“What’s the reward?”
“Right now?” Rouge asks. “It’s up to over twenty million Mobiums.”
“C’mon guys-” Sonic interjects, “do ya really wanna get into the hostage racket? We’re doing just fine stealin’ shit from merchant robots without actually hurting anyone.”
“Who says he’d be your hostage?” The pink-quilled hedgehog looks halfway offended. “If he needs rescuing, then I could be the one to save him- oh could you just imagine it?” she practically swoons. “He’d be so thankful that he’d ask for my hand… No offense, Sonic, but you’re no prince.” Sonic snorts and grins.
“None taken, Ames.”
Rouge sneers at this.
“I think the little punk ran off,” she says, taking a drink from her own mug. “What grown-ass man goes and gets himself kidnapped, anyway?”
“What makes ya think that?” scoffs Vector. “Who in their right mind would give up that kinda lifestyle?”
“Maybe he just didn’t wanna take the throne,” Sonic mumbles.
“Still, captive or runaway, twenty million Mobiums is nothing to sneeze at,” Shadow says. Perhaps it was time for something more exciting…
“How would we even know we’d found ‘im?” Vector asks.
“Oh he’s one of three,” Amy explains. “The Queen had triplets, and they all had matching birthmarks in the shape of a crown! It’s like something out of a fairytale!”
“I’ll have to look into it then,” Shadow concedes. “Prince or no, we’ll still be leaving by the end of the week.”
Three mugs in, the captain’s vision is swimming. At some point, his hand has found his way to Sonic’s upper thigh, and shockingly it has not been brushed aside. The fur there is so tantalizingly soft, and he can’t help but stroke it idly with his thumb.
Rouge’s tavern is particularly busy tonight, and thankfully the pink hedgehog is busy with other tables. Despite being out to sea with him constantly, Shadow is pleased to have the blue hedgehog all to himself for the evening.
He’s flirted back and forth with him in the past, sometimes while drunk, other times while completely sober- though it just went to prove Shadow’s theory that Sonic is attracted to danger, whether that be throwing himself between his captain and a metallic assailant, or teasingly making passes at someone in a position of power over him while on a small ship in the middle of the ocean.
Shadow doesn’t know the exact reason why he’s never fully sealed the deal, cornering the fool in his quarters and finally kissing him senseless as he’s often dreamed of. Sure, he’d prefer to keep his ship’s crew as professional and emotionless as possible, but he wouldn’t be the only one involved with another crewmember, and it’s his damn crew on his damn ship. He can do as he damn well pleases.
There’s something off about the whole situation- for all that Sonic talks, he’s never been forthcoming with actual details about himself. He’ll recount in grand detail his daring deeds and past adventures as Tails and Charmy listen in awe, but the specifics never quite line up. When asked where he grew up or what happened to his family, he’ll brush it off entirely.
“Who cares?” he’ll say with that boyish laugh of his. “I only care about where I’m goin’ now.”
Shadow supposes that he understands, as he stares mindlessly at his first mate. He himself is not an open book, and he is not the only one running from something.
Though most of the time he loathes small talk, he does, in his own way, enjoy his little talks with Sonic. If anything, the blue-quilled hedgehog is quite talented at getting others to warm up to him, no matter how long it takes. Perhaps, if the fates are kind, the pieces will fall into place.
Sonic is smiling. He’s been chatting aimlessly with Vector about something Shadow doesn’t care about, but once Vector turns his attention over to Rouge, he lays his hand over Shadow’s on his thigh and squeezes it gently.
“You’re not really thinkin’ about goin’ after that prince, are ya?” the blue-quilled hedgehog asks, his chin resting in his free hand as he turns to face his captain.
“Perhaps, though it may be a wasted effort in the long run.”
“How come?”
“He could be anywhere- knowing our luck we’d spend years looking for him only for him to turn up somewhere in his kingdom. Even if we stayed close to South Island, I’m not keen on the idea of squandering our time and earnings potential chasing after someone when our only clue is a damn birthmark.”
“That’s a relief,” Sonic says, downing the rest of his drink.
“Why’s that?”
“Never liked South Island anyway.” He wipes at the side of his mouth with his hand. “It’s boring, and like I said- I don’t wanna get into the hostage game anyway.”
“So you believe that he left of his own volition?”
“How should I know? Want another round?” he asks, gesturing towards the bar with his head.
“Sure. I’m surprised the pink hedgehog isn’t hovering over you waiting at your beck and call as usual.”
“Why? Jealous of a barmaid, Captain?” he teases.
Shadow huffs, withdrawing his hand, but Sonic is too fast for him. He pulls the brown leather gloved hand to his lips and presses a kiss upon it before making his way to the bar to place another order.
The black-quilled hedgehog was never one for crowds, and he’s endured the noise of the bar for long enough this evening. He pays his tab, bids his hostess farewell, and takes his leave for the night.
Five rounds was far more than enough for one night, anyway.
Despite his usual proclivity for social situations, not to mention that he’s been stuck in the middle of the ocean with the same small group of people for close to half a year, Sonic follows him out the door and back down the dock to the ship.
Shadow reaches the door to his cabin, and hears his first mate call from behind him-
“Already goin’ to bed, Captain?”
“I was considering it. Unless you still need my attention,” he says, turning to face Sonic, who has a look in his eye that Shadow can’t quite place.
“Oh, you already know I need lots of attention…” he teases, grinning. He’s standing so close to his captain that he can feel the heat radiating off his body.
Shadow loves where this is going- he can’t believe that Sonic would be the one to corner him. He had genuinely been considering just retiring for the night, falling asleep and facing the inevitable hangover the next morning at his own pace, but he’s genuinely curious where his first mate wants to take this. He hopes that he has the same outcome in mind…
He huffs, smirking. That look in his first mate’s emerald green eyes is absolutely lust. He gestures for the blue hedgehog to follow him inside, stepping down into the large cabin.
“Shut and bar the door behind you,” he orders.
“Aye aye Sir,” his first mate teases with a wink. He turns and does as he’s told for once, and upon turning back to face his captain again, he’s pulled forward by his shirt collar, almost tripping over the step. Tan lips collide with peach, and emerald eyes go wide before falling shut, returning the kiss with fervor. He pulls the black-quilled hedgehog closer, and Shadow groans, running his fingers through messy quills and down his loose white shirt before resting just above a frantically wagging tail.
He can feel Sonic smiling against his lips, and tests the waters by adding a small amount of tongue, which is instantly met with the other’s. Shadow grasps the front of Sonic’s shirt once more, fumbling with the buttons in his own haze, though the blue-quilled hedgehog is in no better state. He finally manages to free Sonic of his shirt, tossing it to the side before Sonic drops to his knees.
He can’t believe that he’s doing this. He watches intently as Sonic frustratedly works to undo the belt around his captain’s waist, letting it fall to his sides before planting open-mouthed kisses over Shadow’s groin and licking at the slit of his sheath, and soon enough Sonic has coaxed his dick out from hiding.
Shadow doesn’t miss the way that Sonic’s eyes grow bigger, and how the fool kneels there, practically drooling.
“Open. Suck.”
Sonic doesn’t need to be told twice. He lowers his tongue and goes for it, eyes shut as his throat adjusts to the welcome intrusion. His captain’s cock is thick, causing him to gag slightly. He pulls back, spitting on it messily while jerking it, before running his tongue along the shaft and returning to suck at the tip.
“That’s a good boy…” Shadow slurs, mind still swimming with drink. He strokes behind blue quills and holds him steady, working himself deeper down his throat. He doesn’t know what he needs more of- those beautiful, half-lidded emerald green eyes staring up at him, or the wet, hot cavern of his mate’s mouth slobbering all over his dick.
He thrusts forward once more and holds, lightly slapping his peach-furred cheek to encourage him to take more. Sonic gleefully obliges as much as he can, burying his nose in Shadow’s fur, before coughing and pulling back. He shuts his mouth, wiping away spittle with his wrist.
“Nonono- keep your mouth open,” his captain orders with a groan, grasping his chin. Sonic nods and tries again, this time taking more as Shadow shallowly fucks his throat. When he pulls back again, there’s a long strand of the hedgehog’s saliva leading from his tongue to the tip of Shadow’s dick. He goes back to it, sucking noisily at the tip while working the rest in his hand.
Shadow’s going to finish far too quickly if Sonic keeps this up, and this isn’t everything he wants from him tonight. He pulls back, leaving the blue-quilled hedgehog panting and drooling. He’ll take everything his mate is all too happy to give.
“Up on the desk.” Sonic obliges eagerly, stumbling slightly with intoxication but manages to climb up, sitting on his knees. “Why is it that you’ve suddenly gained the ability to follow orders?” the black-quilled hedgehog huffs. He sits back in his chair, thankful for something stable, and tears off a glove with his teeth, tossing it aside so he can run his bare claws over Sonic’s backside.
“You ever gonna do anything about that, Captain?” the blue-quilled hedgehog teases, looking back at him with a look in his eye that dares him to.
Shadow scoffs. His eyes land on a pile of rope in the corner of the room, and even in his drunken haze he forms a plan.
“Would you enjoy that?” he purrs before making his way over to it. Sonic’s eyes go wide when he sees the rope in his captain’s hands. He nods with excitement, making Shadow grin wickedly. He pulls Sonic’s peach arms behind him, wrapping the rope around his wrists several times before tying it tightly.
Sonic flexes his hands. He can still comfortably move them, though his wrists are completely bound- right where Shadow wants them.
The black-quilled hedgehog returns to his seat and spreads him apart, kissing his asscheek before diving in with his tongue and making Sonic gasp. His captain rests his hand on his backside, and reaches for Sonic’s neglected cock, gently bringing it towards him as he unhurriedly works Sonic open with his tongue.
“Fucking hell, Shads…” His voice is dark, husky with lust and want.
Shadow spits in his hole, spreading it with his thumb and feeling Sonic’s dick twitch in his hand with need. He gives it a gentle squeeze, watching precum ooze at the tip as Sonic mewls, and pulls back, rising to his feet.
“Hmph… is this what you want?” Shadow purrs, teasing his prey with the tip of his cock circling his entrance, but truth be told he was in a similar state to the hedgehog bent over before him. He pulls Sonic’s tail to the side, giving himself better access.
“Oh fuck yeah…” the blue hedgehog groans as Shadow’s dick threatens to slip in. “Fuck me…” With one hand on his hip and the other still holding his tail, he obliges, easing himself inside.
“Thaaat’s it…” sighs Shadow. “Back up on it…” Sonic struggles briefly, his coordination inhibited both from his binds and from drink, but he manages to ease Shadow inside of him thrust by thrust. His captain takes a breath in an attempt to steel himself, and takes hold of his hips as Sonic gets his bearings, greedily taking over the pace and plundering his mate’s tight heat.
“FUCK!” Sonic squeaks. Shadow grabs his shoulders and thrusts harder, faster- he’s never heard him make that noise before. He’s already dangerously close to losing his mind, and it's difficult for him to keep his own grunts and groans in check.
Despite the rope mostly immobilizing him, Sonic meets his captain’s thrusts eagerly, eyes going cross and toes curling in his boots as Shadow splits him open and hits home with almost every stroke.
Shadow lowers himself, pressing open-mouthed kisses in soft blue fur. Sonic welcomes his captain’s sturdy weight against his back, and grinning wildly he pulls him down closer by the arm as Shadow transitions to a filthy grind.
He has his arms completely wrapped around Sonic for a few blissful moments, relishing in the feeling of his fur against his cheek, but suddenly the sound of someone walking across the deck above them causes them to freeze. The two hedgehogs listen intently, tracing the source as it moves further away.
Shadow huffs once whatever it was is finally out of range, growling playfully in his prey’s twitching ear. “I certainly hope for your sake that you remembered to latch that door.”
“You’re not funny-” Sonic pants, and a particularly deep stroke leaves him squirming and groaning as his captain resumes his pace. Shadow pulls back, grabbing his bound wrists with one hand, using the other to grasp a rough fistful of his bandana tied around cobalt quills and holds his head down at an angle where he can watch his face contort with pleasure. It’s amazing how a few rounds of rum can turn his most capable crewmate into a mindless little fucktoy whose only purpose is to satisfy his captain’s lowest instincts.
Shadow hasn’t had nearly enough- he wants him on his back, vulnerable, open… He reaches for his dagger from his discarded belt, and pulls a section of the rope taut, breaking the binds with a clean cut.
“Aw, lettin’ me go so soon, Captain?” his mate huffs, sounding disappointed.
“Don’t be ridiculous. Get on your back,” he commands, shrugging off his coat and letting it fall to the floor as Sonic rolls over. He grabs the hedgehog by the thighs, pulling him closer to the edge of the desk. Sonic grins, pulling Shadow back down on top of him to kiss him again.
“So eager…”
“‘Course I am,” Sonic sighs, running his fingers through the white fur on his captain’s chest. “Fuck, Shadow…”
“What?”
“Please don’t stop-”
“I never thought I’d hear you beg, hedgehog,” Shadow taunts, baring a fang. “Is this what does it for you?” he asks, pulling back and pressing blue thighs back against his desk.
“Ah fuck, please...” he whines, clawing at the edge of the desk above his head. His captain sneers, tapping Sonic’s lower lip with two fingers. The blue hedgehog obliges and takes them into his mouth as Shadow strokes his neglected cock. Sonic spits on his fingers as the black-quilled hedgehog picks up the pace, and lets out a needy groan.
“Touch yourself.” Sonic huffs and obeys, working himself slowly with one hand while Shadow pries him open again with wet fingers. He admires his mate’s beautifully flushed face, and how he groans and gasps when his fingers find just what they’re looking for.
He withdraws, spitting on his own dick, and plunges back inside.
“Oh, Shadow…” Sonic gasps, pulling him back down on top of him.
“See what happens when you finally listen to me?” Shadow growls in his ear, causing his first mate to smirk.
“Jackass.”
Shadow kisses him, relishing in the feeling of Sonic running his fingers through his fur and quills and grasping at his body. Blue legs are wrapped tightly around his back, and the familiar tension in his groin starts to build far too quickly.
“Fuck you’re going to make me cum-”
“Then do it- finish in me- FUCK-”
“Oh shit-” Shadow groans. He pulls back, taking Sonic’s dick in his hand again and working it in time to his almost desperate thrusts. The blue hedgehog is fucking his fist, eyes hazy and unfocused.
“Chaos… fuck, Shadow-”
“Cum for me, hedgehog.”
Suddenly, Sonic’s body seizes tightly, and his peach stomach and chest are splattered as he howls and whines. His captain isn’t far behind, and his hips abruptly still. He grinds slowly inside the other as wave upon wave of pleasure crash over him mercilessly.
Their breathing is still ragged, and he lowers himself one last time to kiss and hold the hedgehog beneath him. His first mate is an absolute mess, sweat dripping from his brow and quills bent and disheveled, but the look on his face is one of pure bliss, and Shadow is more than pleased to have been the cause of it. He pulls out, kissing him once more.
“Satisfied now?” he asks. The blue-quilled hedgehog nods, chuckling to himself with a hand over his face. It quickly morphs to a pleased sigh as Shadow kisses across his body. When he finally lowers his tired legs, Shadow’s eyes are suddenly drawn to something above the blue hedgehog’s left thigh. It all falls into place.
“That’s a lovely birthmark you have on your hip,” the captain remarks, voice cold.
Sonic freezes, eyes going wide as he sobers up immediately and sits up.
“Oh is it? Y’know, I forget it’s there sometimes-”
“Don’t play dumb with me, your highness,” he growls. “I may be drunk, but I’m not stupid…”
“Shadow, wait-”
The black-quilled hedgehog realizes that the answer he was seeking always had a chance of not being in his favor, though in the few years that he had known Sonic, he supposed that the hedgehog had never acted maliciously…
“I wanted… I wanted to tell you- I-” the blue hedgehog gasps, shaking his head. Shadow can’t believe what he’s about to say.
“You’re free to stay as long as you wish. You have nothing to fear.”
“What?” Sonic asks, squinting in disbelief.
“You heard what I said… I take it you’ll want to avoid South Island altogether, then?”
“Yeah… Thank Chaos, you’re serious,” he sighs with relief, pressing a hand to his face. The captain nods slowly, stroking his mate’s cheek.
“If I intended to take you in, there would be a dagger at your throat.”
“Point taken,” he says, barking out a laugh. “But why-”
“You’re worth far more to me on my crew than as my captive.” He offers a hand for support, and Sonic accepts, shakily rising to his feet. His captain leads him to his rest quarters, but stops to look for a rag.
“Strictly-business as always, huh? Then why are you literally taking me to bed with you?”
“Don’t twist my words, hedgehog. You’re not the only one in hiding, and if you’d like to stumble back to your own bed with my cum dripping down your leg, you’re more than welcome to do so.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He accepts the makeshift towel gratefully, cleaning himself as best as he can. Despite his surface-level detachment, after the two kick off the boots and the rest of their clothing Shadow does pull him into bed with him, holding him close and wrapping his quilt around the two of them. Sonic’s tail is wagging again, and his captain idly wonders if it’ll ever stop.
He hopes it doesn’t.
“Just do me a favor-” Sonic mumbles, already half asleep. “Don’t call me ‘your highness’ again.”
“No promises,” Shadow purrs, his nose buried in blue quills.
“…Unless of course we’re doin’ some sort of ‘pirate captain and hostage’ game, and you wanna tie me up a lil’ tighter. Then I’m all for it.”
“Noted.”
Sonic settles comfortably in his arms, head resting on his captain’s chest, and the gentle motion of their ship against the waves finally lulls them both to sleep.