Sorry guys, I meant to upload this yesterday but life got in the way. As always, I hope you enjoy this and leave a review!
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"Cream's been asking about you," Vanilla commented as she dabbed at her face with her towel. Shadow startled ever so slightly as he was broken from his train of thought. Practice had already ended and most of the members had already left, save for a few stragglers chatting as they put on their coats. Fiona wasn't among them.
He looked up to see the rabbit looking at him expectantly and remembered that he was supposed to say something in response.
"I've been...otherwise occuppied," Shadow murmured and Vanilla nodded, taking it for the apology it was.
"That wouldn't have anything to do with that new member, would it?" she asked nonchalantly and Shadow stiffened, his head swivelling to face her. But the rabbit only giggled at his reaction, waving him off. "Don't worry, I know she's not your type," she chuckled and Shadow rolled his eyes, turning back to continue mopping up the floor. He cleaned the studio after every practice before leaving and it was Vanilla's custom to stay a little longer afterwards as he did. She would chat to him as he worked in her gentle voice, or just sit with him in peaceful silence, until the time came for her to go back home where her daughter Cream was undoubtedly up waiting for her. Sometimes, if he finished early enough, Shadow would walk her home - she only lived a few blocks away and it gave him an opportunity to see Cream - but lately a certain fox had been holding him back after practice. Fiona had a tendency to loiter - often chatting up Vanilla as she slowly gathered her things or, alternatively, smoothly falling into deep stretches in the middle of the dance floor. Whenever she was present Shadow ended up working later into the night, waiting for her to leave so he could lock up, and Vanilla ended up walking home alone more often than not. He was actually surprised she wasn't here today.
"She really seems to like you," Vanilla said and Shadow scoffed.
"I hadn't noticed," he muttered and Vanilla chuckled before going back to her musings.
"It's odd though," she continued and Shadow shot her a questioning look. "That she's showing so much interest in you. I thought she and Sonic were dating...but I guess not."
"Sonic?" Shadow asked, pausing in his final sweep of the floor. Why did that name sound so familiar? He could've sworn he had heard it before.
"Yep," Vanilla nodded, "he lives in this neighborhood too. He's pretty popular around here, I'm surprised you haven't run into him before."
Shadow shrugged, he wasn't one for meeting new people, while Vanilla sat silently for a moment, her brows furrowed. "Maybe they're fighting," she murmured and, before Shadow could ask her to clarify, she was on her feet, her bags slung over her shoulder. "Be careful Shadow. When couples fight, it can get dirty. I don't want you getting caught up in the middle of it."
Shadow stared at her, uncomprehending, but Vanilla was in full protective-mother mode and he figured it would be better for everyone if he just did as she said. So he gave a slow uncertain nod of the head and she nodded back at him, satisfied.
"Come visit us soon," she said, "Cream misses you." And then she was walking out of the door as Shadow waved her goodbye and tried to decipher the warning she had just given him.
x x x
"Hey, Shadow."
The red and black hedgehog stiffened, turning from locking the studio door behind him so that he could see who was talking to him. A little further down the side of the building, Fiona was leaning against the brick wall looking at him. The moment they locked eyes, she smiled and sidled closer, eyes half-lidded and head cocked to the side.
"What are you doing here?" he asked and the fox shook her head as if the answer should be obvious.
"I wanted to talk to you about my choreo remember?" she said, her voice coy, and Shadow turned away from her to finish locking the door.
"I told you. Choreo workshop is on Friday," he said, his tone daring her to argue, but Fiona only seemed to take it as a challenge.
"I know..." she drawled, sweet and slow as molasses, "but I don't care about that." She slid closer to him until they were almost inches away from touching, and when Shadow whirled around to face her and put some space between them she only used the opportunity to lean harder, planting a warm hand on his chest and twining her body closer. "I want one on one time," she murmured, her fox tail brushing and winding higher and higher along his legs, "just the two of us." She was closing in, soft wet lips only centimeters away from Shadow's own, her eyes laser focused on his with unexpected intensity...
Which was exactly why she didn't notice Shadow's hands until they had already latched onto both of her shoulders and pushed her a good arm's length away.
She stared at him, wide-eyed and dumbfounded, and he was the first to break the ensuing silence.
"Choreo. Workshop's. On. Friday," he growled. He was past the point of even attempted niceties and had now verged into active hostility, and she could read it clear as day on his face.
They stared at each other for a long moment, neither saying anything, and then Fiona finally broke away, her bewilderment having given way to flustered anger.
"Don't bother, I won't be there," she hissed at him and when Shadow only glared at her, she whirled around and stomped off down the street. Shadow watched her go, making sure he couldn't see her anymore, before he finally turned back to what he was doing. He sighed. It had been a long day and all he wanted was to go up to the nice comforting bed he knew was waiting to taking him into blissful oblivion. He locked up the studio door and then rounded the building to the front entrance, Club Rouge. Rouge had bought this place long before she had met him and, when they had gotten to know each other a little more and she had discovered he was looking for a new place to stay, she had offered to rent out one of the upper rooms of the club to him. From that moment on, the studio had been inevitable; Rouge had empty space underneath her club that no one ever used and Shadow was a renowned dancer in need of a studio to pass away the time. After that, the classes had been somewhat of a happy accident, providing him with some much needed income and facilitating his introduction into the neighborhood.
He was really appreciative of all that the studio had done for him, but at the moment the only thing he was thankful for was that working here meant his bed was only a small distance away. And on a night like this, that was all the blessings he needed.
