A/N: Second time I stuck two chapters together to make one.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Living Pains

Chapter 10: Stupid and Wrong/On the Other Hand…

"This is stupid." Shadow muttered for the hundredth time. "Stupid and wrong." They had spent all day in classes before Rouge had dragged Shadow and Knuckles to the mall.

"If you don't do this, you'll regret it for a long time." Rouge said as she straightened his clothes. "Why do you always wear black and red?"

"It simplifies things if I always wear the same colors." He smacked her hand away from his zipper absent mindedly.

"It also gets dull after a while." She said, rubbing her hand lightly. "Come on, wear a different color. Please?" She gave him her best sad-eyes. He looked back at her blankly.

"I live with Amy Rose. I baby-sit Cream the Rabbit. You really think that'll work on me?" He smirked lightly. "Besides, you don't normally try for the sweet, pleading routine." She grinned wickedly.

"Well I'm trying not to make Knuckles uncomfortable." She said, glancing at the echidna.

"Too late." He gave her a steady look. "Shadow's had to keep you out of his pants three times already."

"Really?" Shadow checked his watch. "It's been an hour. That's a new record of self-control. Good job Rouge." Knuckles threw his hands in the air out of frustration, causing Rouge to giggle.

"Alright Shadow, let's go over it again." She said, still laughing. The ebony hedgehog sighed.

"Why do I have to do this?"

"Because if we don't practice you'll probably make yourself look like an idiot." He glared at her.

"Thanks Rouge, it's good to have the support of my friends."

"She has a point; you will act like an idiot." Knuckles chimed in, slurping on a slushy.

"Like you have any room to talk, I remember your first date." Shadow said, adjusting his sleeves, causing both Knuckles and Rouge to blush brightly. He paused, thinking about something. "That whole day was rather…entertaining." He said smirking.

"Shut up." Knuckles muttered, refusing to meet either of their eyes. Rouge busied herself with looking for a hat for Shadow to wear.

"The things you two did that night, whew." His smirk grew. "They were stupid and wrong. And funny as hell."

"Shut up." Rouge said, her face burning red.

"Alright, alright." He said, walking over towards the checkout desk. "Come on, I'm meeting Karin tonight." Rouge grabbed a black fedora off the rack and plopped it on his head.

"Shadow, where are you going?" Amy asked playfully as he walked to the door.

"Going to see Karin." He shot her a suspicious glance. "Why?"

"No reason." She giggled, causing him to frown.

"What's wrong with you?"

"You're going to tell her you love her aren't you?" He froze, a million thoughts running through his head. "That's a yes!" She squealed, hopping up and down.

"Quiet!" He shushed her in a panic, frightened for some reason he couldn't fathom. "I'm already nervous."

This is stupid. Shadow thought angrily to himself. We just met not long ago. He held his head as Amy released all her pent up excitement by making a cake. Karin had called earlier to delay their date for an hour. On the other hand, we kissed before we technically met. We're already moving pretty fast. He was brought out of his thoughts by a scream coming from the kitchen.

"Shadow!" Amy yelled, causing the dark hedgehog to burst into the kitchen, adrenalin flooding his system. Amy was on the floor, her cake batter having fallen on her head somehow. It still disturbed him how accident prone she was. He practically had to clean up after her on a daily basis. On the other hand, Rose'll probably burn the apartment down if I ever move out. He thought wryly as he grabbed a few towels from the linen closet. He helped her clean up the mess that had splattered on the floor. With a sigh he looked at the batter splattered hedgehog. On the other hand, I won't have to clean up after her anymore if I ever do move out.

"You really are a mess you know that?" He wiped some of the batter off her face with a fresh towel, causing her to squeak in surprise. She grabbed his wrist and glared at him playfully. He blinked as he recognized the look she was giving him. "Rose, I'm meeting Karin later and it took Rouge forever too find clothes she liked. Please, please don't make them kill me."

"Fine Shadow." She sighed wearily as he smirked slightly, happy that he wouldn't have to face enraged Rouge again. "Well, since you ruined my fun and I can't bake this mess, I'm taking a shower."

"Want me to go get Sonic?" He asked, already ducking behind the counter as she spun around and chucked a handful of cake batter at his head. "I deserved that." He chuckled as she stomped away towards the bathroom. He sat on the floor, leaning against the counter as he started thinking about all the women in his life. Truthfully he loved the pink hedgehog and she loved him. They both knew that they weren't in love; they were as close as two friends can come to being family. He was reminded, not for the first time of when he had first been asked to take care of Cream the Rabbit. Vanilla had said he and Rose made a cute couple, a thought he found embarrassing, disturbing and gratifying all at the same time. We could never be together like that; I don't feel that way about her. Then, due to his apart emotional masochism, his mind turned to the other girl his age. I don't think we'd ever try to date again. On the other hand, she wouldn't hesitate to jump me again. His mind drifted back to their last date briefly before he forced himself onto other thoughts. I doubt I would have been able to be this soft if it weren't for Cream. On the other hand, she and her mom can get to me with their politeness. He grinned at the thought of the two rabbits releasing their oppressed frustration on an unsuspecting world. A warm, pleasant feeling spread in the pit of his stomach as he thought about the girl that was quickly becoming the center of his life. Karin is sweet, beautiful, smart and not afraid to hit a burglar in the head with a chair. He rubbed his head absently, all the head trauma he'd acquired over the past few years seeming to come back for a second. What more could I want? On the other hand-

"No." His eyes sprang open, determination making his ruby irises seem to glow. "There is no other hand with her." He climbed to his feet and ran to the door. He locked it and took the stairs two at a time as he pulled out his phone. He dialed quickly, waiting impatiently for her to answer. "Hello? It's Shadow. Where are you right now?" He ran all the way to where his bike was parked. He leapt onto it, waiting for her answer before starting it. "Okay, I'll be right there. Yes now. Okay, bye." He gunned the engine and tore out of the parking lot, his common sense telling him that what he was doing was stupid. On the other hand, he thought smugly, so is everything I do.