Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic nor will I ever…

This is sort of ShadowXRouge…and it's a simple one-shot. Cute really.

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The white bat opened her eyes and scoffed. Her smile dropped as she look over to the hedgehog dozing off. He had his head in his hand and his red eyes were closed.

"Shadow, would you pay attention?"

He grunted and opened his eyes. "What now?"

Rouge sighed angrily as she glared at the lazy black hedgehog lying on her couch. He was trying to sleep while she was talking about everything and anything.

"Hello? Can't I have a simple conversation with you without you nodding off?"

"Come on, I'm tired. Its been such a long day…" He turned his body sideways so he was lying on his stomach and his face drowned into a lilac colored pillow. He wore a gray beater and black cargo pants and had a silver chain with two dog tags around his neck that hung loosely over the sofa. He wasn't wearing any shoes or gloves.

"Fine. Whatever. Ignore me. It isn't anything new to me anyways…" She said, sitting in a burgundy chair next to the sofa. She reached out for a small black remote that was sitting on a black coffee table next to the sofa. She flipped on her television and her lips curled down into a sad grimace.

The ivory bat crossed her legs and played with her own silver chain. She too, had two dog tags on a chain since there last mission required some sort of I.D. on there being and they both resorted to tags.

"Oh come on…" He moaned, turning to face the dark female. "Do you have to watch T.V. right this moment?"

"Do you have to sleep right now? Most normal people sleep at night. Its 4 o' clock." She snapped.

"Why don't you come over here and sleep with me then?" He asked, slightly pushing himself up.

"I'm not tired." She said bluntly, her face turning a hint of red.

"Come on…" He extended his arms out and begged her over. "You know want to cuddle with me."

"Shadow, its hot out."

"Its cold in here. Actually, its too cold. Just come here please?"

She studied him for a moment and he smiled at her. It was a warm smiled that totally made up for his signature cold stare.

"Fine…" She stood up and Shadow immediately grabbed her, knocking them both down into the sofa. She immediately went into a frenzy and was confused for a moment. She tried getting back on her feet but realized that she couldn't budge.

"See? Isn't this better?"

"Shadow!" She exclaimed, struggling to be released from his grasp. His powerful arms were around her torso and she couldn't overcome his strength no matter how hard she tried. Although she was near the edge of the sofa and her back was facing Shadow, she still felt strange. He's been hugging her lately too…its like he turned into a cuddle monster. She still remembered the day he first embraced her. Ever since, he had it in his mind that it was okay. It was…but this was too much.

She wouldn't have mind it so much if she wasn't trained to get close to anyone, but Shadow was a different case.

Her ears perked up to the sound of his breathing. It was slow and peaceful, and she immediately came to the conclusion that he had fallen asleep again. She sighed lightly and tried pushing her way out of his grip.

"No…" he said softly, tightening his hold on her.

"You know your going to have to let me up. I'm not sleepy."

"Please?" He asked in a soothing matter. "Just this one time? I'm tired of being alone…"

Rouge felt her heart skip a beat at the moment he said that. Tired of being alone? She was with him almost 24/7. He was never truly alone…

"Shadow, your not alone. I'm here aren't I?" She asked, trying to turn her head so she could look at him.

He loosened his grip a little so she could turn over and face him. He looked so innocent, his eyes were half closed and he had this melancholy look of a five year old who was denied a toy a he wanted. Rouge couldn't help but blush slightly; she never seen him like that…

"Yeah…" The ebony hedgehog said, sounding quite reluctant.

"Then why did you say that?" She asked.

Shadow blinked a couple times before looking away. "I'm tired of being alone when I sleep."

The white bats ears perked up and for a second she thought he was joking. "Alone when you sleep?"

"You know…" He began, inching closer to her face. His ruby red eyes locked onto her own. "You have the same blue eyes as her."

"Huh?" She asked, bewildered. She didn't even notice the small smile he had just looking at her expression.

Rouge felt a strange connection growing in her breast. Same eyes? He doesn't mean…

"Shadow? Did Maria cuddle with you when you slept?"

How could she forget about her? The one person Shadow truly cared about; the one thing that kept him going to this very day, even if he didn't talk about her much anymore. Rouge could never forget that name, even if she had no idea what she looked like.

The black hedgehog opened his eyes slightly and peered out to her. He nodded his head slightly and his crimson colored hues glistened as though he was about to cry.

"Could you do this for me? I promise you won't ever have to do it again. Could…" He stopped, as though he was trying to find the right words to say. "Could you be her for awhile?

Rouge snuggled closer to him and felt like she herself were about to cry. He misses her…he doesn't deserve the world on his back like he was some terrible demon. The white bat knew that deep inside that he was one of the most sincere and gentle creatures that she ever come to know, despite his hard exterior. Only she knew the real Shadow, and she honestly believed that it was a true privilege. Only one other person besides her knew him…

"I won't be Maria…I can't replace her Shadow." She began. "But, I will be Rouge, your best friend…and hopefully that'll be good enough."

"Hmm…" He said, slightly smiling to himself. His eyes were already closed and he started dozing off again.

The white bat looked up to him one more time and her lips curled into a sweet smile. Within a few minutes, she was fast asleep next to the ebony hedgehog.

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This has been a SeXY HelPings the Dinosaur production! :3

XXX In Memory of all of those lost in Vietnam XXX

The End.

Thanks for reading!