Shadow The Hedgehog X Reader - Blog Posts

In the Quietest Corner

shadow the hedgehog x gn!reader

sfw

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(ФωФ): shadow making a nest!

I ACCIDENTALLY DELETED SO MANY REQUESTS. LUCIDWORLD IF YOU SEE THIS YES ITS YOUR REQUEST. i have SO many shadow fics coming up but i lowkey post a lot😞🙏 gonna slow down a little before posting again😞

⠄･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠄･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠄･ ⋆ ･

You wake up to find Shadow missing. Again.

This is the third time this week that you've rolled over in bed only to find his spot empty, sheets cold, and the faintest scent of him still lingering. You groan, rubbing the sleep from your eyes as you sit up, stretching your arms over your head so hard it makes your whole face turn red, making you let out a deep, satisfied exhale after you stretch. The room is dim, early morning light creeping in through the curtains.

You know exactly where he is.

Slipping out of bed, you shuffle toward the living room, yawning. And sure enough—

There he is.

Nestled into the most ridiculous pile of blankets and pillows you have ever seen, making you pause in the doorway and stare.

Shadow is curled up in what can only be described as a nest, made of every single blanket he could find, stacked and arranged into a perfectly enclosed, warm little burrow. His quills are relaxed, body tucked in on itself, ears twitching slightly as he dozes.

You blink, your heart squeezes.

He made himself a nest, a fucking nest.

You hold back a squeal and step closer, careful not to startle him. As you approach, you notice something else—the air in here is cold. You shiver, rubbing your arms. You hadn’t even noticed it when you woke up, but now that you’re out of bed, it’s obvious—Shadow must’ve lowered the thermostat.

So that’s why he left, It’s spring.

Hedgehogs hate heat.

Your chest tightens. You had noticed him shifting uncomfortably in bed last night, restless, tossing the blankets off only to pull them back on. Now it makes sense. He must’ve gotten too warm and instinctively made himself a cool, dark space to sleep in.

You lower yourself onto the couch beside his nest, watching him. He’s softer like this, quills slightly fluffed, arms tucked in. His chest rises and falls steadily, and for once, he looks truly relaxed.

He’s beautiful.

You rest your chin on your knees, just admiring him for a moment.

And then, because you can’t resist, you reach out and gently brush your fingers along the spines at the back of his head.

Immediately, his ear flicks, making you freeze.

His quills shift slightly, not raised, but reacting to the touch. You try again, this time scratching in between his quills, right at the base where his fur is softest.

Shadow makes a sound.

A deep, slow exhale through his nose.

Encouraged, you keep going, carefully massaging through his fur, scratching just enough to be soothing. His body melts under your touch, tension draining from him entirely.

And then—

He hisses.

You jerk your hand back instantly.

Did you do something wrong? Did you touch a sensitive spot? You stare in horror, heart racing—until you actually look at him.

His eyes are still closed. His quills are relaxed. He’s still nestled deeply in his nest.

…He’s not mad.

You blink.

That was… not an aggressive hiss.

Your lips part. Oh.

That was happy hissing. You have to bite your lip to hold back a squeal.

But just as you think you’ve recovered— Shadow shifts, stretching slightly—and sploots.

Your soul leaves your body.

He is flat on his stomach, legs stretched out, completely flopped over like a tiny, exhausted creature.

Your heart explodes.

You reach out again, gently scratching at his back, fingers threading through his fur. He lets out a slow, content sigh, leaning into your touch.

Your voice comes out in a soft whisper. “I love you.”

Shadow stirs. A slow, lazy blink. His eyes flicker open, glowing faintly in the dim room, and when he turns his head to look at you, his expression is softer than you’ve ever seen it.

He doesn’t say anything at first. Instead, he moves closer, shifting just enough to tuck his face against your shoulder, nuzzling into you.

A deep, low purr rumbles from his chest. Your heart shatters.

You close your eyes, wrapping your arms around him, letting him bury himself against you. His voice is quiet, barely above a murmur.

“…I love you too.”

He purrs again. Content. Relaxed. Safe. And in his little nest, you hold him closer.

DOOT DOOT DOOT SHADOWS POV

Shadow was never one for comfort. He didn’t need it, didn’t seek it, and certainly never expected it. But this—this nest, this cool, enclosed space he had instinctively built for himself—felt right. It wasn’t something he consciously thought about. It just happened. Waking up too warm, unable to settle, feeling restless in a way that had nothing to do with battle or his usual insomnia. The temperature had been too much, the blankets suffocating, so without thinking, he had moved. He had gathered everything soft, anything he could burrow into, making a space that felt protected, safe.

And now you were here, watching him. He could feel your presence even before you spoke, before you reached out and touched him. Your fingers had skimmed along his quills so gently, so carefully, as if afraid of disturbing him. And yet, rather than recoil, he had leaned into it. Your scratches, firm yet soothing, worked through the tension in his body, and for the first time in a long while, he truly relaxed. His instincts took over, responding before his mind could catch up, and before he knew it, a hiss escaped his throat.

You had pulled away instantly, but he had felt the way your heart rate spiked, the way you stiffened in surprise. It only took him a moment to realize why. You thought he was upset. That hiss had startled you, made you think you had done something wrong. Shadow almost smirked at the thought. If only you knew.

The truth was, he wasn’t used to expressing things the way you did. He wasn’t good with words, wasn’t soft or affectionate in the way that came naturally to you. But his body—his instincts—knew what they wanted. When you touched him, something in him eased. The tension he carried constantly, the weight that never seemed to lift, all of it melted away under your touch. His body reacted before his mind could stop it, and that hiss? That was nothing but satisfaction.

And then you had whispered those words.

“I love you.”

Simple. Gentle. Meant only for him.

Shadow had never cared for words, but somehow, the way you said it made something shift inside him. Slowly, he blinked his eyes open, still drowsy, still unwilling to leave the comfort of his nest. When he turned his head to look at you, your expression made his chest tighten. There was no teasing, no expectation. Just warmth. Just you.

He didn’t think. He simply moved.

With a slow, deliberate motion, he nudged his head against your shoulder, pressing into you, letting himself seek out the comfort you so easily gave. He barely noticed the deep, rumbling purr that left his chest—his body did what it wanted, instincts taking over. He felt the way your arms wrapped around him, how you welcomed him without hesitation, how you held him without question.

For the first time in a long while, Shadow let himself be still. He let himself be held.

And with his face buried against your shoulder, surrounded by the safety of his nest and the warmth of your presence, he murmured the only thing that mattered.

“…I love you too.”

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