A/N: This was originally the Christmas themed LP Off-shoot, it's here because I felt it was a nice way to open up a new fic while neglecting the many I have going currently. And I am still working on Living Pains, so please enjoy. Or not. The choice is yours; I'm just here to write.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Living Pains: Tales From Club Rouge

Tale 1: Rubies and Mistletoe

Part 1: Heartbreak

"Rouge." The ebony hedgehog said in acknowledgement as he fell into step with the ivory bat.

"Shadow." She grinned when he refused to look at her for a moment. She loved it when he played coy like this. "So?"

"Yes." He answered quietly, a sly smile on his face. She grinned and wrapped her arms around his, gripping tightly as they walked up to their nightclub.

"I knew you'd say yes." The bat was incredibly self-satisfied. She had actually been a little worried the dark hedgehog would turn don her offer. It had been a while since she had been on date with a good looking guy. They walked into the club to find a light-grey cat curled up on a table, sleeping soundly. Letting go of Shadow's arm, the bat walked up to the table and knocked it over, spilling the now awake cat onto the floor.

"Hey Tim." Shadow called from across the dance floor, having decided to replace some of the older lights.

"'Ello boss-man." The cat yelled back, dusting himself off. He glanced at the irritated looking bat next to him. "Morning boss-lady, how can I help you?"

"Tim, I thought I told you to set this place up for Christmas."

"Yeah…I never really celebrated Christmas growing up." He said grinning sheepishly.

"Were you poor?" She felt bad for the cat if he was deprived of spending the holidays with his family.

"Jewish actually. And colorblind." He looked over were Shadow was attempting to change the lights by himself. "Oy! Want me to hold the ladder?"

"Thanks." Shadow said to his mentally unstable friend. Together they managed to keep all but one of the lights from being broken. While they were changing the lights Rouge had come across to brilliant ideas. The first was to have the lights replaced with red and green bulbs. The second was to bring up the impending date while Shadow was unable to escape.

"So where are you taking me for our date?" She asked in an innocent voice. The hedgehog started and nearly fell off the ladder, a fact not helped by Tim's letting go.

"You're going out?" He asked with an odd look on his face.

"Yes we are." She winked at the distressed hedgehog, knowing he was in too precarious a situation to reach for his gun. She was brought out of her thoughts by the cat laughing loudly and pulling her into a hug.

"Congratulations Mrs. Boss!" He yelled before running back to the ladder as Shadow fell, taking another light with him. Looking down at the shattered glass thoughtfully for a moment Tim glanced up at Shadow. In voice that sounded as though he were revealing some profound truth he said, "You dropped something."

"I worry about you sometimes Tim." The ebony hedgehog sighed, rubbing his head in frustration. Those lights cost money they had yet to earn from the party. That means they just lost money pointlessly.

"Don't worry Shadow, we'll come out ahead. We always do." The bat said, flying up to the ceiling to adjust one of the lights.

"Normally I would ask you why you didn't help us, thus saving those lights. But you're look especially…you-like today so I'll let it pass. Besides, we've never held a birthday party here, much less one for Christmas."

"And we've never had to deal with the drama of you two dating. Poor timing by the way." Tim chimed in, a slushie held tightly in his grip. The two owners blushed slightly, Rouge glaring at the cat while Shadow avoided looking at either of them. "When's Sheila getting here?" He asked, seemingly oblivious to the tangible rage coming from the bat.

"She's late actually." Shadow muttered, causing the others concern. Sheila Ramirez, the cook for Club Rouge, was almost never late. Shadow could count on one hand how many times she had been late, and ever single one of them had one thing in common. "Oh crap." He muttered quietly.

"I'll get the dump kit." Rouge sighed, her hatred of Tim momentarily forgotten. The cat in question had literally jumped behind the bar and was currently mixing the vixen's favorite drink. Shadow once again rubbed his head. The only time Sheila was late was if she had been dumped. This rarely ended well for the guy due to Tim and Shadow's 'No Breaking Our Girls' Hearts' policy. The enforcement of which normally involved large, heavy objects, no small amount of psychological scaring and the looking the other way done by local law-enforcement.

"Tim, tell me when she get's here." Shadow said, heading into the back to help get the kitchen ready. After roughly ten minutes he heard the door slam open, high-heeled boots stomping across the dance floor and Tim yelling that Sheila had arrived. When he returned to the front he found her yelling at Tim, something about being useless and no one wanting to be alone around her.

"Bunch of jerks! That's all there are, just a bunch of jerks…" She trailed off, her head on the counter. Shadow could hear her crying quietly as she nursed her drink. He walked up to the bar and sat next to her. None of them said a word, both guys waiting for her to speak when she was ready. After a few silent minutes she looked at the hedgehog sitting next to her. "So…" She trailed off, sniffing slightly. "Who is she?" The much suffering hedgehog sighed as she displayed her mysterious talent even in this situation.

"Rouge." He said, shrugging despite himself. The young vixen wrapped her arms around him silently. After a brief moment he did the same, rubbing her back softly. "You peoples' turned me into a big softy." He joked, causing the girl to giggle in spite of herself.

"Can I have hug?" Tim asked sarcastically.

"A big softy that will still shoot his friends for messing with him." He threatened lightly.

"I blame the rabbits." Tim said, referring to Cream, whom Shadow babysat on a regular basis, and her mother.

"Hey, Cream is adorable." Sheila said in mock anger. She finally pulled away from Shadow's embrace.

"You good to work tonight?" Rouge asked sitting next to Shadow and looking down the bar to the vixen.

"Yeah."

"What happened?" Tim asked, all traces of levity gone from his features. For a moment they thought she would burst into tears again.

"Mark broke up with me. Again." She said quietly.

"Tim add him to the 'Failed to Learn his Lesson the First Time' list." Shadow told the cat calmly.

"You got it boss-man." Tim pulled out a black book and paused before writing down the double offender's name. "Before or after Jet?"

"Before, Jet's just annoying." Rouge said, trying to keep some of their customers alive.

"Okay." Tim made a few marks on the paper before scribbling something out furiously. "He's next."

"Really? We're ahead of schedule." Shadow remarked, surprised with their efficiency at revenge.

"Well that's what happens when you come across three double-offenders at once." The cat closed the book and placed in one of his pockets.

"Right. We'll be back girls." Shadow said, giving Rouge a quick peck on the cheek. Grabbing his baseball from next the door Tim joined Shadow to hunt down the scum that hurt one of their girls. After all, revenge is the second-best medicine.