6
Chapter 6:
Exposed
Shadow shook his head and sighed as he side stepped her attack. Over and over, they maneuvered all over his room.
"Hold still!" She snapped.
"I don't want to hurt you."
"But I want to hurt you!" Eclipse growled as she got to her hands and knees. Her world slightly swayed. Shadow watched her hesitate.
"Tired?" He asked, ready to catch her if she fell.
She shook her head, her exhaustion catching up to her. She dropped against the bed and glared at Shadow as she raised her fist to punch him. But her arm fell lifeless on the mattress. With it, her body. She huffed, slumping forward and feeling slightly embarrassed. But the floor didn't hurt her like she expected. Shadow held her. He had caught her!
Too weak to care, she stared at the ceiling. Her chaos fire wasn't enough. Nausea pounce her gut tight, her head suddenly too heavy to move. Her pulse quickened. Uh oh. She folded her ears back, refusing to look at him as fear pumped through her. She was helpless. This can't be good.
She gasped with a soft squeal and clung to him when he lifted her into his arms and laid her on his bed. She could easily sense his curiosity but refused to look at him still. She groaned and curled into a ball as her stomach turned. Too much fighting. I shouldn't have attacked him when I was feeling a little better.
"Let me help you. Then I will leave you alone." Shadow whispered as she grit her teeth and turned, letting him finish with her wounds.
"I made you breakfast," he repeated and pointed to the tray on the bed. He rolled the unused bandages and stuck them back into his medikit. He gave her one last look before he went into bathroom to put it away.
"You're all done. I promise to leave you alone if you don't hurt yourself again." She watched him as he paused at the door. Usually, she'd avert her gaze so as to discourage anything. Not this time. She bravely returned his stare.
The sun finally colored the room with its gold, setting Shadow's fur into a beautiful ebony glow, his red streaks turned softer. It danced along the curves of his mouth, weaving through his long black eyelashes. She fought the urge to part her lips.
He tilted his head as he returned her gaze, his ruby eyes holding no emotion.
He's cute. She huffed, hating her straying thoughts. "Okay, you may go now." I'm not here to like him.
Shadow gave her a small, knowing, and flirty smile before leaving. Unease settled in the pit of her stomach. I don't like that smile. Could he sense my thoughts?
After a few minutes, Eclipse still didn't trust him.
When he didn't sneak down to peek at her, she slinked over to the tray keeping an eye on the door and snatched a muffin it.
This is good. But when was anything from Shadow good? She folded her ears back, placing the half-eaten muffin down. She took a deep breath and gingerly got to her feet. But before she stood, a thought occurred to her. If she left the muffin there like that, he'd know for sure she ate. What if she ate it all, he wouldn't see it, then, right? Maybe he'd forgotten all about it and would think she didn't eat it?
With a sigh, she snatched it up and stuffed it into her mouth. She wobbled against the wall, making her head spin before she shook her head as the black spots cleared. She quietly opened the door and looked around the narrow hallway. She gasped when she spotted Shadow passing by in the room at the other end.
Eclipse held still and waited. When his voice dimmed, she snuck quietly down the hall.
"I think she likes you," Sonic's grating voice drifted to her ears.
"Shut up," Shadow said with a grunt.
"No, really. You should have seen her stare at you."
"Wait, you, you saw that?"
"Nope, but now I know she does like you! Aaaaand you like her too!" Eclipse held her breathe. Was it possible? Did Shadow really like her?
No. She shook her head. No one liked her. They were all too afraid of her.
"Yeah, right." Shadow snorted, recapturing her attention.
"It only confirms what I saw between you guys."
"What? No." Shadow responded sarcastically.
"Yes."
"Shh, she'll hear you."
Shadow's voice grew louder and Eclipse froze. Oh no, he is coming! She twirled around and started down the hallway, but realized she was in no condition to outrun him. Before she knew it, she tripped over her own foot and crashed with a soft thud.
"Are you alright?" Shadow was suddenly beside her, which took her by complete surprise. She could feel his body heat as he hesitated to assist her up. She stiffened when she felt his hands on her arms. Fear spurring her escape of not wanting to be caught, her adrenaline shot hard and fast into her fist.
"Ow!" Shadow exclaimed. She gasped as he released her and stumbled, he looked at her. She found her feet and whirled around, bolting into the room. He caught me! She slammed the door behind her and pressed her back against it, her head swimming. A quiet moan slid up her throat, not happy with herself.
Ok, no more fast movements from now on.
She thought of how childishly she'd been behaving. What a fool he must think her to be. Eclipse sat on the bed, her face in her hands, fighting hopeless tears. But she'd never been around others. She didn't know how act around others—especially her nemesis. The tears stung. She sniffed and wiped away the stray tears before deciding to try the door again.
She opened the door a crack to see him getting to his feet and looking in her direction. She gasped and slammed the door closed again. Did he see her? Eclipse slowly let go of her breath, realizing she was holding it.
She was acting like a child. He was acting more mature than her. Well yeah, no duh. He's older than her by a few days.
Not liking the convalescing confinement, she decided to spy once more. She quietly closed the door behind her and slinked down the hall, feeling the soft shirt brush against the back of her knees.
"Yo, buddy!" Sonic said happily just as she reached the end of the hallway. She flicked her ears nervously. Sonic stood by the oven, pink apron, pink hot pads, pink chef's hat on as he pulled a tray of steaming cookies from the oven. Shadow lounged in the recliner, his expression dark. "Is everything ok? Your lip is bleeding."
Shadow lifted his gaze, glancing down the hall and making eye contact with her. She froze. He blinked away and dropped his head back. "It is?" He asked and wiped his lip. Should she feel better that he pretended she wasn't there? For some hateful reason, she felt resentful. He ignored her!
"I saw that. Do you like her or do you miss your blanket?"
"Saw what?" Shadow growled; his hands turned to knots on his lap.
"You just looked longingly at your bedroom."
"I have no idea what are you talking about." Shadow relaxed his hands.
"Are you sure she's not your girlfriend?" Sonic fanned the cookies with his oven mitts.
So much happened in such a short amount of time. Shadow should've been dead. She should've been celebrating. Fate decided otherwise and she was going to reverse it. Pain moaned deep in her leg and she panted. Another time, perhaps?
"Agg! She's not my girlfriend!" Shadow snarled as she slowly inched towards the door, forgetting about her boots.
"Are you positive about that?" Sonic asked. He tossed his chef's hat on a hook and pulled off his apron.
Shadow huffed. "Why do you ever insist she's my girlfriend? She's not . . . o . . . kay . . ."
Eclipse had the sinkiest feeling that he spotted her, hence, his slowed response to Sonic. She froze, watching him from the corner of her eye as his ears perked up. He blinked.
Though she knew he saw her, she couldn't help her flinch-shudder effect with a squeak.
"Ah, speaking of your girlfriend. Look, Shadow, it looks like she's trying to sneak past us and escape."
Crap. She hesitated, looked at them both, then the door. Should she? Sonic looked at Shadow then at her then back at Shadow. He caught me.
"Get her! She's going to run away." Sonic leaped forward, his big feet tangling with each other. He plopped to the tile with a loud flesh-slap. Shadow grinned, staring at his friend with an amused twinkle in his eye.
"The graceful Sonic trips over his own two feet. Since when did you get klutzy?" He asked as Sonic glared at him.
"Aren't you going to catch your girlfriend?" He shot back. Shadow's smile turned dark as his eyes hardened.
"I'm going to strangle you if you don't stop teasing me about that." He hissed through his teeth.
Eclipse stared at Sonic. Is Sonic always this annoying? She wondered still making her way towards the door. She froze as Shadow looked at her again.
"If she isn't your girlfriend, then who is she?" Sonic asked as he looked at her. "She's pretty." Shadow folded his ears back and looked at Sonic with a growl. "What?" He asked as he looked at Shadow. "I didn't say anything."
"Don't you dare try," he growled.
"Try what?" Sonic asked, trying to hide his mischievous smile.
"You know what I'm talking about."
"No I don't."
"Wait a minute!" Eclipse moved away from the door, fuming and acting before thinking. "Don't you two dare talk about me as if I'm not here. That is rude!" Shadow looked at her and raised an eyebrow. She swallowed before slinking back into the shadows.
"But you like 'em spicy." Sonic wiggled his eyebrows, drawing Shadow's attention back to him while he bristled.
"Feisty," Shadow corrected, a rose creeping into his cheeks. He lowered his gaze as she glared at him. "Don't you dare hook me up. I already told you. I don't want a relationship!"
"What makes you think I want anything from you?" She marched forward, so wanting to strangle him. But she was still weak.
Shadow disappeared behind the couch, sinking low. "I wasn't talking to you." He snapped, taking her by surprise. For some odd reason, his response hurt her. Did she want a relationship with him? She quickly shoved the hope away, believing it not possible.
"Aw, came on Shadow," Sonic whined, his large, glassy eyes drinking her in. Her skin crawled as she wrapped her tail around her leg. She didn't feel comfortable in Shadow's shirt even though it was long. She retreated to the shadows, again.
"Whatever." She spat. Who needs these silly hedgehogs? She gently grabbed the nob.
"You need a girlfriend."
"No I don't."
"Yes you do."
"Shut up."
Sonic tapped his toe and crossed his arms. "Look how grumpy you are. You. Do."
"Shut up." Shadow looked at her when she opened the door, making her freeze. "Hey," he got to his feet as she bolted out the door. She yelped when she felt his arms wrap around her waist and pull her against him. She struggled as he chuckled softly in her ear.
Her body trembled. "Do you really plan on running out there wearing nothing under that shirt?" She froze at his question, waiting for it to sink in. "And besides, don't you want your boots and gloves?" He asked as he closed the front door then released her.
She trembled as she folded her ears downward. She stared at him as she slowly backed away. Shadow returned her gaze, confused at her reaction. A light went off in his eyes when he recognized her fear.
"Hey don't be afraid." He whispered in a soothing voice and cautiously approached her.
"Why would she be afraid?" Sonic asked as Shadow closed his eyes and sighed.
"Shut up Sonic."
"No seriously, man. Why would she be afraid?"
"Shut up Sonic. You're not helping." Shadow snarled, glaring at his friend. Eclipse gasped softly when her back found the wall. She closed her eyes. Her heart pounding. "Please don't be afraid." Shadow said softly and close enough that her eyes flew open. She looked up at him and screeched.
She dropped to the ground as tears welled in her eyes. "Don't touch me! Don't touch me! Don't touch me! Please don't touch me." She dropped her head into her hands, sobbing and finally setting free her tumult emotions. Her body trembled as she whispered 'don't touch me' over and over.
She stiffened when she felt Shadow's arms wrap around her then lift her into the air. She refused to look up. She was vulnerable and her body trembled. She felt Shadow pull her tightly against him, trying to make her feel safer.
She waited for the blow that would end her life but instead she heard Shadow's soothing voice whispering quiet comforts into her ear as he walked to his room.
She didn't want be alone. She's been alone for so along now that it hurts like a blade and Shadow was the only one kind enough to spare his time to take care of her. The tears stopped coming as her traitorous body snuggled up against him and allowed her to drift to sleep in the comfort of Shadow's strong arms.
The last moment before she drifted, she could've sworn that she felt his lips against her cheek bone.
Shadow blinked and stared at the sleeping beauty in his arms. She had curled up against him after he picked her up during her nervous breakdown. What had he done to make her hate and fear him at the same time?Was it the fact that she has been alone for such a long time?
He'll worry about it later, right now he needed to sleep. Shadow shook his head as he laid her in his bed. She'll be embarrassed about her nervous breakdown when she wakes.
6
