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it's de-anon'd now so here is my fic for @sonadowexch gifted to paxopalotls!

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[ Coming Dawn ] - G-rated, 3K

— Shadow chases nightmares.

Those tangible and those fleeting. The nightmare of death, the nightmare of living, the nightmare of existence. A hunter at his core—crafted from the blood of a conqueror race binding the gel of his genetic makeup with chaos energy itself. Birthed through a wish fueled by love. He is an amalgamation cradled by life and destruction both. Both sides pull at his purpose in a dangerous dance he cannot tell if he leads anymore.

If he ever did.

Excerpt:

A vibrant white streak trails across the blanketed sky above. Shadow watches it carefully, thinks back on old tales and wishes come to life, and closes his eyes as he lets soothing memories float buoyant in his mind. "Did you make a wish?" Shadow opens his eyes just a sliver but doesn't turn to face the sound. He watches more stars twinkle in and out above and wonders on the fleeting existence of light and life itself. Chasing nightmares is tiring as they blink and flicker across time itself. A wish upon a shooting star. Shadow can't think of anything he'd ask for at the moment. Nothing that he can't achieve on his own or at least, nothing that can be undone. Death is permanent—that of the body and the mind. As he follows the trails of memories and consciousness, he finds his feet stepping in footprints echoing the print left by his own worn-down boots. Wishes are foolish perhaps but of course a fool like Sonic would question such a thing. Shadow shakes his head and closes his eyes once more. Shooting stars spark behind his lids. He doesn't have a wish to share. [x]

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💙🖤 sonadow exchange

fill posting day 1/3 — done to celebrate a wonderful ship & posting this weekend around the boys' birthdays!

https://archiveofourown.org/collections/sonadowexch2025/works

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Jazz AU update!

Sorry for the wait; been dealing with an injury that flared back up and my head is a mess lmao but being stationary had me listening to a lot of jazz to cheer up and pushed me to get this out 💕🎹🎶

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[ equipoise ]

— Rouge needed a refreshing change in entertainment at her club to keep the clientele coming. In an effort to keep tabs on a current G.U.N. suspect of interest who frequented the club, Shadow offered himself as adequate entertainment: background jazz piano for the late night hours.

It was supposed to be a short term gig: use the music as a distraction to remain on the club floor, catch the suspect being shady and report to G.U.N., and the club got to advertise a new show to maintain steady crowds.

Of course, nothing went right once Sonic arrived.

[ Chapter 3: Mission: Set the Scene ]

Excerpt below:

Too many people feared jazz and understanding it, scared off by the seemingly convoluted instrumentation. Fast moving saxophone lines, speedy fingers on the keys, twisting amalgamations of musicality and rhythm within the drum kit, blaring horns and crunchy chords asking for attention in ways unfamiliar to those attune to the sounds found in other genres. At the end of the day, despite all the perceived complexities in playing jazz, in learning how to develop one's own melody atop the foundation of a song, blues was the basis of it all. Simple, straightforward, emotional blues. Three chords was all one needed to start a story, twelve notes was all one needed to shape it, and Shadow carried that concept through all his musical works. Blues was the ABCs to jazz's grammar and Shadow never strayed from that alphabet when working through his arrangements and practicing his improvisation. [x]

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Still working on Incorporeal Slumber Chapter 7, but in the interim, to get back in the writing groove I dipped back into an old WIP to at least finish something!

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[ Blue in the Shadows ] - Werehog / Doom Morph ; 18+ only!

When Sonic shared he could still transform into the werehog every full moon, Shadow predictably challenged him to a fight. Little did he know their little spat would reactivate the dormant Black Arms DNA in his genes he thought he left behind in White Space.

Be sure to check the tags!

SFW Excerpt below:

Shadow quickly turned away, jaw tight enough he could feel his canines digging into the inside of his mouth, and he dug his fingers deeper into the dirt smashed beneath his stout form. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't toss you off this cliff right now."

"You'd miss me too much if you did. I mean…" and here Sonic rolled over again onto his back, now close enough his side pressed against Shadow's leg. Azure and onyx fur clashed in the negligible space between their bodies. He raised a paw to the sky and spread his fingers as if grasping the clouds above. "You came when I called for the race today. I think that says enough."

Shadow moved his leg and ignored how his skin still tingled from the brief contact. Unnamed emotion clogged his throat but he swallowed it down in a growl. "It says nothing." [x]

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Hi

I wanted to ask that when will you continue the Incorporeal Slumber? That fic caused me a massive fixation in the last some days, your work is amazing, and I can't wait hsjshhs 🥺👉👈 (sorry if I sounded rude, english is not my first language 😭)

Hello!! Omg, thank you so much for the interest in Incorporeal Slumber!! Super appreciated; it's my baby LOL anyway, chapter 7 is being worked on! I've not an estimate on when I will finish it though—I took a few days off and then got injured so I'm only recently getting back on the writing grind 💔 That said, my goal is late next week! No guarantees but that's what I hope for. I'm so excited for y'all to see what's coming up next and get more answers to the cool theories some have shared with me!! There's gonna be really fun plot stuff happening soon; I'm so excited to dig in 🙇💖 thank you again though for reaching out! It's lovely to hear people are excited for more 💙🖤 makes it worth it to keep on trucking heheh

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The way I IMPLODED SEEING THIS??? Thank you so much!! 💖💖 this is exactly as I imagined 🥹🥹🥹 The tenderness in Sonic’s gaze and Shadow's own concern, the gentle hold on Shadow’s muzzle and their hand hold and the Super kiss!!!!! The energy in each scene, from Sonic's comfort to the soft kiss, just WOWIE!!! 😭🥹 genuinely cannot say thank you enough for your work on this lovely art and sharing it; I’m truly honored and I adore this so much!!! 🥺💙🖤

fanart for the fic in other words bc it is very cute and I like it a lot

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I am a clown who has been AO3 author cursed with injury 💔 but I am very slowly back on the writing grind as I recover 🫡 also I didn’t ever say it here but thanks for 400 followers !! Now, I go back to silence here until I have a new chapter 🙇💕 As always, thanks for your patience!

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HAHA patiently waiting then 🙇 regardless of a sequel, the newest chapter had my heart thrilled. Very excited to see the conclusion of this months long journey next week 🙂‍↕️ Congrats on all the incredible milestones hit with Quills! Well deserved!!

Just read chapter 4 of Shadows in the Deep actually and Point Lobos mention real??? 🥹 heh it’s just really cool to see those IRL references!! Love the Monterey Bay so it’s extra fun to read a Sonadow fic related to it. Tethered is positively fantastic; stories that are somewhat centered around a certain character (in this case, Shadow and his inhibitors / feelings for Sonic) but not from that character’s POV are some of my fave to read!! I could gush about it more (happy to have good taste 😉 lolz) but I’ll wait until the conclusion as I have much to say.

And yes!!! Omg I can hardly believe it myself !! Usually I don’t read WIPs ngl but Quills day 1 chapter 1 was right there so I took the bite…then it always updated around the same time I would check the tag so eventually, I was like, obviously fate is telling me to stick with this fic, let’s see where it goes!

(And!! Funny you mention the beginning because way early on, in my head I labeled Quills as the “basketball game upload / ice rink partial rewatch from a kids phone” fic as those end notes stuck with me so bad lol)

Anyway. Wow, lots of words from me, yeesh!!—Sorry! Point is, thank you for taking us on these fun journeys with you through your fics!! Again, your prose and style is very refreshing and fun, weaving suspense and humor in such a uniquely compelling way, it’s hard not to become so enchanted by the progression of characterization and plot in each story. Reread Silly Hats recently too and still what a damn blast. Ready for more Shadow POV from you! Take care and cheers to all your amazing work 🙂‍↕️♡

Hello!! Here to stop by and say a couple things:

Does Secrets in our Quills has a sequel in its quills 👀

And, though many others have already said this, I wanted to say thank you for sharing your works these past few months! Every story has been so exciting and bursting with flavorful personality; what a blast! I hope you don’t burn yourself out with all the ideas you’ve already shared wanting to post !! Hope you’re feeling better as well from getting sick! Excited to see what you have in store with Shadows in the Deep (MBA mention, peak), this final arc of Tethered (which is my favorite, I just have to add; absolutely obsessed with your Shadow portrayal there), and the final chapters of Quills (been reading that one since chapter 1, serious!).

Anyway, long winded whoops but thank you again for your wonderful writing ♡ Take care!

Ahahahahaha.... *looks at half-assed outline* *looks at you* *looks back down towards my very unfinished outline* I guess we'll just have to wait and see about that, won't we??? ;)))

But anyways!!! Thank you so much!!! It makes me so unbelievable happy that you feel like my works are filled with personality, what a lovely compliment!!! Thank you!!! Also YES I saw your comment talking about how thrilled you were about the Monterey Bay Aquarium mention... what a special, phenomenal place, huh?? I already miss it, and can't wait to visit again when I go back home to the Bay Area! And Tethered at the Wrist is your fave??? You have excellent taste ;)))

Also, YOU'VE BEEN WITH THE SECRETS IN OUR QUILLS SINCE CHAPTER 1?! Dawg you deserve a medal or something for that, it has been quite the long journey!!! I still vividly remember uploading the first fuck-ass, error-riddled chapter for my new "silly little movie fic" while watching a basketball game in the NBA stadium in San Francisco... ahhhhh fond memories HAHA it's crazy how far we've come since then! Thank you for sticking with it so long!!!

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Hello!! Just wanted to say I'm quite intrigued (and excited!) about the jazz pianist shadow fic :) can't wait to see what you cook up with it!

Oh wow, that’s so exciting!! 🥹 Ahhhh, thank you so much for sharing and thanks for reading!! Much appreciated! I hope you enjoy what’s cooking up with the story 💖🎹

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Jazz AU update!

I am admittedly shocked by the response wow I was like, IDK if anyone else besides myself will read this but I need to get this AU out my head HAHA I’m truly honored people are reading 🥹 I’m so damn excited I just had to get this next chapter out ASAP!!! Ahhhhh!!!! 💕🎵 🎹

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— Rouge needed a refreshing change in entertainment at her club to keep the clientele coming. In an effort to keep tabs on a current G.U.N. suspect of interest who frequented the club, Shadow offered himself as adequate entertainment: background jazz piano for the late night hours.

It was supposed to be a short term gig: use the music as a distraction to remain on the club floor, catch the suspect being shady and report to G.U.N., and the club got to advertise a new show to maintain steady crowds.

Of course, nothing went right once Sonic arrived.

[ Chapter 2: Mission: Write a Set List ]

Excerpt below:

This wasn’t the first house Shadow lived in since coming out of stasis and it surely would not be the last. Not with the way a particular annoyance of a hedgehog kept badgering Shadow about his home each time they unfortunately crossed paths.

Shadow snarled to himself; he didn’t understand why the blue menace was so insistent on knowing where Shadow lived. What good was the information for him but to make Shadow’s life more miserable by abusing the knowledge? It was a pointless endeavor and yet he kept pursuing it. Such tenacity and perseverance would be more admirable if it wasn’t attached to making Shadow’s life a living hell. [x]

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Sonadow jazz au real! A mixture of undercover mission espionage, jazz pianist Shadow, and Sonic barging in to connect it all.

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[ equipoise ]

— Rouge needed a refreshing change in entertainment at her club to keep the clientele coming. In an effort to keep tabs on a current G.U.N. suspect of interest who frequented the club, Shadow offered himself as adequate entertainment: background jazz piano for the late night hours.

It was supposed to be a short term gig: use the music as a distraction to remain on the club floor, catch the suspect being shady and report to G.U.N., and the club got to advertise a new show to maintain steady crowds.

Of course, nothing went right once Sonic arrived.

[ Chapter 1: Mission: Get the Gig ]

Excerpt below:

Words were not easy for Shadow but there were other ways to express emotion. Early on in his remembered existence, Shadow physically struggled to voice his thoughts. It never concerned the scientists at the ARK as he wasn’t meant to be more than a tool—and what good was a tool who could talk, who could speak back and argue and remind them of pain and discomfort in the face of the inhumane—but Gerald and Maria thought otherwise. Shadow was created with the capacity to speak and the brain power to communicate. He deserved an avenue to express himself if words were not the answer.

They introduced Shadow to music. [x]

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ok I caved, I’ll write this … hold me to it because man the story I have built in my head … oh it’s gonna be so fun …

sonadow jazz au is in my head so bad…

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okay sooo like I’m a musician we know this but I am a jazz pianist !! I have so many fun stories and experiences I wanna plop my faves into and explore about my time performing at festivals and going on tours and the wonderful sessions at the recording studio and all that but I’m currently spurned on by this one specific experience:

There was a “Jazz at the Aquarium” series going on at the local aquarium and it was always so much fun because we would get parked near the seal exhibit and sometimes the seals would come to the barrier and spin around and dance with us!! Top 10 memory; I’m so happy to have had the experience. Can’t tell you how cool it is to watch such beautiful creatures swimming right next to you spinning in congruence with the music of your own making. It was spectacular. I need to write about it and so many other things. I just … jazz is so not explored in band aus so I really wanna dive into it since I have first hand knowledge LOL idk I’m rambling but god, I gotta try something. I gotta do it…

sonadow jazz au is in my head so bad…

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sonadow jazz au is in my head so bad…

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Brainrot cringe Sonic and Shadow who doesn’t understand what he’s saying

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New Sonadow Fic Alert?!

From the Shadows of the Deep - Chapter 1 - Nebrasska - Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types [Archive of Our Own]

Yeah yeah yeah I REALLY SHOULDN'T BE STARTING A NEW SONADOW FIC and I did mention that I was going to wait for next week... but I just couldn't help myself. Inspiration struck in the form of Kraken Shadow, and so we're embracing it and going for it!!! :)))

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funniest part about incorporeal slumber rn to me is that the dialogue used in the summary was originally meant for ch6. Now, it ain’t happening until ch8, maybe even 9 lol these chapters keep getting ahead of me length wise! But man, I’m so excited to be writing again and tackling a story like this 🥹 sappy musings but I’m having so much fun telling this story and I am soooo pleasantly delighted by the response. I said this in the author notes for ch6 but I haven’t worked on a serious multichap project in over a decade!! (my marvel days, what a time) I didn’t think I could have so much fun like this again engaging w a fandom by writing 💙 thank you movie 3 LOL