Espio nudged me lightly. "Shadow come on lets go" He whispered to me "Rouge will wake up soon!" I opened my eyes slowly to see I was lying next to Rouge, I had my trousers on but she was in her underwear. I got up slowly and looked at Espio who handed me a white shirt. "Sorry it's all I have" he said as I took it and put it on. I got out of the bed yawning and rubbed my forhead. Espio walked out of the room and crept downstairs. I kissed Rouge's cheek before getting up and following him.

We left the house and began walking to the centre. Espio was looking down at our feet as we walked. It was hard to try and make conversation without wanting to bring up why he was crying. "So...How did your boyfriend meet?" I asked, I wasn't all that interested but I tried to be as he looked down and answered. "He...Saved me on a mission, so in return I took him somewhere to eat, then the next time we met we went back to his place to watch a film...Then a couple of weeks after I woke up next to him" Espio closed his eyes and sighed.

He slowly smiled and looked at me. "We were dating for 3 months before I told Vector about my sexuality and we went to space. Vector doesn't know about him ye-" I butted in saying stupidly "Hm? Doesn't know Monitor?" Espio stopped and looked down slowly. He began to laugh "Monitor? He isn't my boyfriend, I can promise you that." I looked at Espio who had now covered his mouth while laughing. "Alright sorry" I said watching Espio stop by a flower shop.

"Let's go" Espio said smiling at me as he walked in. I walked in too. It was a empty shop, we were the only people in there other than a florist who was placing flowers in a vase. She turned to look at us. "Hello" she said smiling "what can I do for you men today?" Espio looked down and fiddled with his fingers. I realised he must've been really shy about this. "Uh, we were wondering what colour roses you have and the packages you are able to give us" I replied. Espio blushed a bit more and looked down smiling. "There favourite colour is dark blue and purple...B-But they don't mind other dark colours" Espio said to me smiling.

The florist giggled and showed us a set of roses. "I know you said they like dark colours, but I think these white roses make it stand out." Espio gasped in amazement. "It's really pretty" He admitted looking at the roses "how much are they?" I watched as the florist showed him a label "Oh...I don't have enough for that...I think I would end up keeping them for myself anyway." The florist laughed and nodded and then showed another bunch of flowers to us.

"These have a wider variety of flowers, and only a couple of roses, but the colour scheme is more dark and mysterious like you told me" The pink mouse happily said "it also comes with a small bear, and it's half the price of the other one, just 10.00!" Espio looked at the bunch of flowers smiling a bit "I'll take it" he said.

He handed over the money and got the flowers and the teddy bear in return inside a bag. "Thank you" she said smiling "have a nice day!" We left the florist's shop and Espio smiled at me. "Thanks for...helping me speak" He said "I've never really...Known my flowers well." He was looking down at the bag as he continued walking. "Gosh those ones with the white roses were so pretty...It's a shame I'm not rich." I looked at Espio as he starred at the bouquet. He then looked back down at the bag. "I have 5.00 left" he continued "so lets go get something to eat yeah?"

I was really suprised Espio offered to take me somewhere to eat, but I let him take me anyway. We walked into a mall and looked around. "So where do you want to go?" Espio asked "what food do you like? Has to be cheap though." I shrugged, I didn't really care for what I ate, as long as it was food. "What about something like a baguette?" I asked and Espio pointed to a baguette shop nearby. "Ok!" He answered and began to walk there.

When we sat down, I noticed a clothes shop nearby, it was pretty dark and seemed to be closed at the time. I looked in the window and saw there was a outfit on show. I loved it. It consisted of black boots which red gems on the side of each boot, some leather shorts, a two-piece shirt and a black leather bomber jacket. Espio noticed me looking as we were eating our baguettes and smiled. "That would suit you Shadow" he said "you'd look good in leather."

I blushed and starred at him. "I guess I would" I replied embarressed by his remark. Espio looked up at the clock on the wall. "I can't stay much longer" Espio said trying to finish his baguette "I have to meet him at the beach and it takes a while for me to walk there." I was going to offer to take him there, but he seemed happy, so I left him be. "Alright, well you know where I'll be, unless we have a mission" I said as I finished my baguette "I'm sure he'll be thankful for the flowers, I would be if I got them from you...O-Or Rouge of course."

I frowned while blushing lots and looked down and he began to laugh. "Here." He said giving me the change he got from the baguettes "just a thank you gift for everything, not even a big one though..." He stood up and held the bag tightly. "I guess you got to go now?" I asked looking up at him. He nodded. "Yeah, sorry Shadow..." I couldn't tell whether he was glad to leave or not, but I stood up as well and looked him in the eyes. "Good luck Espio" I said as we began to walk out of the mall.

Espio was silent. I didn't really know what to say either, but I was trying my best to think of what to talk about. I looked down and noticed a small rock ahead. "Espio" I said slowly. He turned his head to me but continued walking. He looked down as he began to trip and screamed a bit. Without thinking, I held his hand and pulled him in my direction instead, with him landing on top of me.

"Sh...Shadow!" Espio shouted blushing "I'm so sorry!" We were still holding hands and he helped me up. "But...Thanks, If I fell, the flowers may have got ruined." He held the bag tightly with the other hand and I starred at our hands which were still tightly being held by eachother. He let go slowly. "Uh...I have to go, I just realised it's the other way!" Espio said turning around "B...Bye!" He began to run away and I watched him as he did, my eyes ended up travelling down to his backside, and I starred at his ass.

I blinked and when he was out of sight, I turned around and started walking back to the agency, trying to think up what Vector would say and how he would react to Espio leaving for a 'mission.' I stopped and looked at the flower shop again, as I did have to pass it to get back. I looked around and went in the shop again.

"Hello again" I calmly said walking in, the pink mouse turned back to me. "Oh hello! Is there something I could help you with again?" She asked walking up to me. I nodded and walked up to the roses that Espio wanted. I knew it may cause trouble, but I really wanted to get them for him. "I'll buy them" I said getting out my wallet "the roses." The florist nodded and began to put the flowers in the bag. "Your friend will be very jealous that you got these for your woman, I'm sure he would've taken them from you!" She laughed and handed me the bag. "That's 20.00 please."

I gave her the money then headed out again, continuing my journey back. I didn't have any idea how to not make it obvious it was me giving him the flowers, so I sat on a bench near the flower shop and sighed. "You ok?" I looked up to see the Pink Mouse had left the flower shop and sat by me. I nodded. "I just don't know how to do this so they don't know it's from me..." I said looking down embarressed "They don't know I like them yet.." She looked at me and squealed "that's so cute! I have an idea...Why don't you give me their name and the address you want it to be sent to and I'll get my friend to do it? I may need a fiver to do it though."

I studied at her for a bit. Why did she want to help me? She seemed like a lovely lady and all...But I was a bit suspicious. Despite the suspicion, I gave her back the flowers along with a fiver. "Ok just give me a second" I said as I wrote in the label on the flowers "all the info is in there, send it tomorrow yeah? Around 12?" She nodded and stood up walking back. "I'll be sure to get it done!"

A smile grew on my face, I felt...Ok now. I stood up and got back, only to hear a grumpy Vector shouting at me. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN SHADOW? AND WHERE IS ESPIO?" He slammed his hands on the desk as I walked in, not really caring, and sat down next to Charmy on the sofa. "Espio is on a mission, I took him there because he was almost late" I calmy lied, looking at the show on the television "didn't you hear him on the phone yesterday?" Vector grew quiet and looked down. He shook his head. "Sorry..." Vector said, "I just got a bit annoyed."

I nodded and leaned back on the sofa to have my mind filled with thought on Espio and his boyfriend. I wondered how public they were, how much they did together, what they were planning to do on the beach...And if he made Espio happy. Rouge sat by me and kissed my lips. "You ok Shadow?" I nodded, turned to her and kissed back.

But deep down inside I was anything but ok.