Disclaimer: Shadow and related Sonic characters are ©SEGA/Archie comics. I don't own them, I just think the emo needs love too.
The song Sara is singing comes from Lunar The Silver Star Story, and belongs to Working Designs.
Sara the Hedgehog is an OC and © of moi.
Author Notes: I'm generally against canon character/original character pairings. I said that before in Flirting Shadows, but I honestly think they make a cute couple. Please take the time to go back and read more on their relationship from Flirting Shadows on. Thank you :3
There was a certain and unexpected emotional "high" attached to the concept of having someone. As Shadow realized that he indeed had what qualified as a "girlfriend," other strange feelings had erupted. Their first "date" in the park had been an awkward one marked by rain but finished with an evening at a canyon and a first kiss that was worth something. It was the apprehension at keeping up that feeling that had Shadow's stomach tying itself in knots. His logical mind still had a hard time wrapping around the whims of his and other's emotions, something he might well struggle with for the rest of his life.
Unsure of what he was doing, he sought help from the only source of social information that he felt he could trust...more or less. So it was, that he found himself seated across from a pink hedgehog once more and wishing he was somewhere else entirely. It wasn't that she wasn't helpful...she just tended to assume things, ramble inane drivel, and go on about Sonic to no end, especially comparing and contrasting the two of them, and he rather hated it. So why was he even here? The only feasible alternative at the moment (outside of books) was Sara's father or Sonic, who seemed to be getting on well with the chattering cream puff. 'I wonder if normal people have this much irritation over dating….'
Shadow managed to pull his mind to the present and with a grunt, cut off Amy in mid-sentence. "So what do people normally do on a date?"
Golden, glorious silence filled his ears while her jewel green eyes locked with his, utterly dumbfounded. She had to think about it a moment before smiling brightly and torturing his ears once again, "Well, some people go for walks or go to the movies, or eat out…. Usually it leads to holding hands or kissing..." She giggled at that; she'd had a very nice time with Sonic last evening. If Shadow was lucky, she'd skip the details. He wasn't so lucky. "And I know it sounds gross, but if you really like that person, a little exchange of saliva can be really erotic."
Shadow slapped his hand to his face and dragged it down while groaning. "Enough! Can you tell me anything useful!?"
Amy shrank back in her seat pouting at that. "I thought it was…."
"You thought wrong," Shadow grunted. "I do not want to hear about you and Sonic exchanging body fluids!" His muzzle curled into a sneer as he finished that sentiment.
"Okay okay…." Amy frowned a bit. "Well, one thing to consider is bringing her a gift when you visit...like flowers or something."
'At last….' Shadow nodded. "I'm familiar with that one... Do I have to every time?"
"Well no. But if it's going to be particularly special, then it helps," Amy replied.
Shadow sat back in his seat letting his mind revolve around possible gifts and matching them to dates, as far as he'd planned, at least. He'd be taking her on a roundtrip through the United States the next day; that probably constituted "special" at this point. "I already did flowers…."
"Chocolate?" Amy suggested.
Shadow's ear twitched a little and his nose took on a slightly disdainful wrinkle to it. "Why that?"
Amy laughed, "Why not?" Her lips curled upright into a slightly unwholesome grin. "Chocolate...ooohhh it is a girl's best friend!"
"I thought that was diamonds…." Shadow muttered under his breath as he grew weary of the girl's rantings.
Amy shook her head but the smile remained. "Something in chocolate releases chemicals that react to the pleasure centers in our brains." The smile widened a bit as she recalled some studies suggesting the effects to be more potent and longer lasting than sex; she'd have to put that to the test, soon if possible. "They also say it's an aphrodisiac... It's...just really enjoyable, take my word for it."
"Thanks." Shadow heaved a sigh and stood up from the chair.
"Leaving so soon?" Amy inquired.
"Yeah. I need air," Shadow said, a kind way of his saying he was really annoyed and feeling slightly homicidal if she kept it up, as he exited the young hedgehog's Knothole residence.
Date number two, or official date number one, was a success. Sara had seldom had opportunity to ride Sonic's wind, so being carried damsel-style at high speed was a real thrill. Shadow made sure to run through or by certain landmarks, such as the Grand Canyon, the Space Needle, Statue of Liberty, etc. The run had been an all day event, and the dark hedgehog had pushed himself to his limits. Whenever they stopped for food, he gorged himself on deep fried or fatty foods, while the sky blue hedgehog just gaped at him. He wondered if he did anything wrong, but he actually did have an appetite when push came to shove.
Eventually, as the day wound down, Shadow found himself carrying a sleepy hedgehog nestled against his puffy white chest fur. A satisfied feeling flowed through him, though his legs and arms were tired from straining all day. Even the ultimate life form needed rest. It was a luxury item, though, and he wouldn't allow it until he'd dropped her off at her home.
Three things struck Charles the hedgehog as odd the following morning. First, he thought he heard someone in the kitchen... His daughter avoided that room unless it was to grab a Hot Pocket or drop off dishes under most circumstances. Second, he could detect a lingering smell from Shadow the hedgehog. Of course, when he entered the living room and saw the black and red form sprawled on the couch, the reason was immediately clear, and that was number three.
"Sshhh...!" Sara pleaded from the doorway to the kitchen, her eyes looking rather guilty since she hadn't told her slumbering father they had a guest. Actually, she'd hoped he'd wake up and be on his way before that happened, but it hadn't.
Charles wisely held his tongue, though Sara went over to retrieve him. "...What is the meaning of this?" He inhaled deeply when she got close to him, checking his little girl's perfume. Her natural scent was still strong, so she was, as yet, still single. That relieved him somewhat.
"He was so tired when we got back, he could hardly walk straight…." the female hedgehog replied in a whisper. "I couldn't just let him go like that... He really was trying to leave, Dad; I kinda made him sit down for a minute, and well..."
Charles let out a soft sigh; he couldn't say no to that, could he? "Just how far did you two travel yesterday?"
"Oh...around the country." Sara tried to shrug like her cousin and give a smug smile, though it didn't carry the same weight.
"Fine, fine...you'll tell me all about it over breakfast, all right?" The light blue hedgehog smiled at his girl. He headed into the bathroom to freshen up a bit, since he hadn't expected company for breakfast.
As Sara was about to head back into the kitchen, Shadow's sleeping form shifted positions suddenly, seeming restless. "M...Maria..." His hand reached over the edge of the couch as if to grab something or someone, and the girl's expression sank a bit.
'Maria?'
Shadow had managed to sleep through breakfast, and Charles had to go to work before he'd stirred. That was a big relief to Sara, who was now taking care of the dishes. She wondered how long he'd be asleep but decided she wouldn't worry about it. She scratched the back of her head with a soapy hand and then laughed at her own silly nature.
As she worked through the dishes, she began humming, sometimes whistling. That probably roused Shadow, but she was too busy with her work to notice anything. Whistling gave way back to humming, and soon, she found her voice, singing softly to no one in particular, her gaze fixed on a sun catcher hung in the kitchen window.
Her expressions and work pace changed with the songs, and before long her eyes had a warm glow to them.
"Wishing on a dream that seems far off...
...Hoping it will come today…."
She began singing as Shadow stepped into the archway between the kitchen and the living room. He remained silent, his jewel-red eyes just watching her stoically.
"Into the starlit night...foolish dreamers turn their gaze...
Waiting on a shooting starrrrr….
"But what if that star is not to come?
Will their dreams fade to nothing?
When the horizon darkens most...
We all need to believe there is hope!"
As the hedgehog sang, her movements seemed more graceful, and her posture more thoughtful. She'd sung this one many times and had certain hand gestures as she went on, or held her gaze looking a certain way out the window. She acted in total obliviousness to the hedgehog standing behind her only a few steps as she used one of the sponges as a microphone.
"Is an angel watching closely over me?
Can there be some guiding light I've yet to see?
"I know, my heart should guide me but...
There's a hole within my soul...
"What will fill this emptiness inside of me?
Am I to be satisfied without knowing?
"I wish, then, for a chance to see now all I need...
"Is my star to...?!" Sara cut off abruptly as she turned to put the dried dishes in the cupboard. "S-Shadow!" Her eyes went wide, her cheeks red, and she quickly held a tattered dish cloth over her mouth to hide her gaping mouth. "Ohh...I..."
The umber hedgehog suddenly realized he was on the spot and had to say something. He had to make it fast too; he was leering again. He shook his head slightly. "That was...nice...sing much?"
Sara smiled meekly. "Just a little. Usually when I'm really happy or...kind of in a funk." One ear tilted to the side and she spun back to the dishes, just to hide her embarrassment.
"Which was that?" he asked calmly. He decided to take a seat at the table, hoping that would put her more at ease.
Sara laughed after a moment. "Neither actually...I just...felt like it." There was an awkward silence hanging in the air, and Shadow wasn't about to lift it alone. "I sing when I don't think anyone's around."
"Oh..." Shadow looked down at his hands folded on the kitchen table. Not that they were particularly interesting, but this went beyond a simple date, which was supposed to end with a goodbye kiss he was fairly sure they never got to. He could ask her out again, but would he have to leave and then come back? He wasn't quite sure of the rules of dating yet, and he'd drowned out Amy's voice after a while.
"Hungry?" Sara offered after a while. "You missed breakfast but I can whip up some eggs and toast real quick."
"Sure," Shadow said as amiably as possible. He frowned a little bit, but it was aimed at himself for being so socially stiff.
"Who's Maria?" the sky hedgehog asked as she mixed a couple eggs and some seasonings in a bowl.
She had his attention. "W-what?"
"Maria," Sara responded as naturally as she could. "You called her name in your sleep."
Lines creased Shadow's brow as his expression fell. "A friend." His somber tone was hardly enthusiastic in that statement.
"A 'friend'?" Sara frowned a bit herself, pouring the eggs onto a hot skillet. She then slipped a couple slices of bread in the toaster. "The way you're acting says it was more... She pretty?"
"She's dead," Shadow said flatly. The silence returned, except for the snaps, crackles, and pops from the grease on the skillet.
"Okay...you don't want to talk about it." Sara put the toast and eggs on a plate once they were done and slid them toward the dark recipient. "I just wondered."
"...She was my friend." Shadow's tone had a grave edge to it, and he glanced around as though they were being watched.
"Dad's gone to work," Sara commented, sensing he was thinking her father was around; that was partly true.
The ebony and crimson hedgehog forced himself to lower his guard as he accepted the food. He at least wanted to appear relaxed. It was just so hard for him to do, and asking about her just made it more difficult. "I wasn't born on Earth, or Mobius," he began. "I was born on the Space Colony Ark…. Maria was the granddaughter of Professor Gerald Robotnik, whom I consider my father."
"Ark...Ark..." Sara frowned a bit, feeling like she should know this. It was big news not long ago, but being from Mobius, she didn't have many details. "Space... Okay, so you knew her there? What happened?"
Shadow paused in mid-bite, just giving her a very alien look, as though she'd just grown a second head. Surely she wasn't asking him for more details! Wasn't that enough? "You don't know?" he asked incredulously.
Sara shook her head. "Sorry...I know Eggman's also gone by the name Robotnik...and even Kintobor. Are they related?" Shadow nodded to her. "Whew, never imagined the doc had relatives." Shadow shrugged. "So she was special to you, huh?"
"Yeah," Shadow said simply. He seemed to lose his appetite and slid the plate toward her. "Thanks for breakfast...and putting me up for the night." He got up from the table to leave, his look even more distant than Sara's when she sang.
She managed to smile at him, though it was forced a bit. "Sorry if I said anything wrong." She slipped an awkward arm around him and led him to the door. "Wanna hang out later?"
"Yeah. I just need some air," Shadow said casually. He turned to her once they were on the front step and looked down at her. She was a couple inches shorter than him, and he could steal a number of looks at her without being noticed. She wasn't particularly observant at times either, which also helped. His mind mulled over a few possibilities since this was where their date yesterday should have ended. "Hey...Sara?"
She turned her head back to him, smiling more naturally now. "Yes, Shadow?"
"Thanks." He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. Though his timing could have been better, and he almost missed her to a turn of the head, she didn't pull away. It was the very fulfilling kind of kiss he'd hoped they'd share last night, and he now hoped there'd be many more.