I meant to get this even earlier but eh, this is good. nn;

I wanted to publish it Monday, but I had work that day so I didn't even bother. I got it out today, at least. Happy about that.

Honestly, this chapter is...blah to me. I have no real opinion. I think after this, things in the story get a lot more interesting and better. x) I hope to have the next chapter up by Friday, as usual.

Alright, enjoy.

Name: 'Chained By Love'

Rating: Teen/PG-13 (might go up)

Pairings: SonicxShadow, possible KnuxRouge

Warning: Male/Male relationship; don't read if you don't like it

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Shadow had automatically froze, unsure what to do.

Sonic, as if on instinct, flashed his emerald eyes to catch the crimson ones. He automatically separated from the female in his arms, the pink hedgehog giving him a strange look. She then turned her head towards Shadow and gasped. That was the last thing the visiting hedgehog saw before he slammed the door shut.

He backed away from the door with a strange look. Were they...kissing?

Shadow didn't know why he felt weird about it. He narrowed his eyes. It was a rare occurrence for him to witness, even though there were some couples on the ARK. He fought to keep the clenching feeling away as he remembered to stay focused. It was normal for creatures to 'kiss'. It was part of attraction. I guess he never would expect to be shocked like that ever in his life. Or it could have been the thought of the hedgehog kissing...anyone. He scrunched his face in annoyance, though he felt warm; was he...blushing? He didn't have long to think about it and had to quickly flee, since now the door's knob turned.

Both the blue hedgehog and his pink counterpart looked out the room, the male holding up a brow and the female just looking confused. When he saw that no one was there, he expected the black hedgehog. He wasn't stupid, he knew that it was the streaked one. Those red stripes against the black stuck out like a target. He sighed and looked down at Amy, a smirk on his face.

"Someone caught us, eh?" He pulled away from Amy and didn't say more. He sighed as he went to check his features in the mirror, knowing that this was the biggest secret he wanted to keep hidden. He winced as he looked back to the pink girl, who walked up to him.

"Is that the new hedgehog you told me about?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Sonic could only nod, sighing.

"He can't talk, but with him, I don't know." He frowned and slipped his shoes on. He quickly headed down the stairs without even saying good-bye to Amy.

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Shadow had immediately ran downstairs, closing the door as quietly as he could. At top speed he made it down the steps quickly to his pile of blankets, sitting Indian style. He was trying to look as innocent as possible. When he took his next deep breath, the other hedgehog joined him. The blue one slowly made his way down the creaking wood. 'Play it cool...' his mind said.

It was soon that Sonic stood in front of the red streaked hedgehog, a smirk slowly forming on his face. He wasn't sure if it was because he caught him watching them, or the hedgehog caught him kissing Amy. He narrowed his eyes a bit, flashing a toothy grin.

"What were you doing upstairs?" He asked, unable to address a name.

The black hedgehog gave him a look and at first and it was uncertain to the blue one. It took the hero a few moments to realize it was a look of slight mocking. The expression was serious, but a certain cockiness to it. Sonic had to give him credit; he had some blackmail on him.

The blue hedgehog kneeled down and crept closer, bringing his face to the other. He knew to keep his distance, since one run-in was enough to know not to cross the hedgehog.

"Can we make a deal? I'll do whatever you want me to do; not including letting you free." Shadow grimaced at the last part but had given him a studying glare. Shadow looked over the one before him with scrutinizing eyes, both of them knowing his reputation was tarnished forever after this. He snorted and slowly nodded.

Sonic smiled with hop, standing up. "Great! Sounds good." He looked around for a moment. "Now, what to offer you..." He looked down to the black hedgehog and then to the small window, automatically getting an idea. "Alright. I'll make you this deal..." He said, his grin on his face never faltering. "...I very recently discussed with Knuckles if I could take you outside..."

Shadow's ears perked in surprise. That's what he heard early this morning. He blinked once again but then regained his serious composure. Sonic thought it was funny; it was as if he knew when he wanted the other to go on.

"Well, if you promise not to mention mine or Amy's relationship to anyone, I'll take you outside for an hour at few times a week." Shadow's eyes narrowed in anger but was interrupted. "But! The more I begin to trust you, the more time you get outside." Shadow gave him a look, and Sonic could only smirk.

"Deal?"

Shadow nodded his head slightly and watched the blue hedgehog let his hand out, and he eventually took it. They shook and Sonic turned to go upstairs, knowing he had a female to deal with.

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Shadow sat in silence for a few moments before he shifted. Shadow had now came up to another guess on why he was so disgusted by the kiss. He was kissing that 'pink annoyance'.

The 'pink annoyance' idea sprang up in Shadow's mind when he first heard her loud feet step into the house.

Shadow was lucky in the sense that this was the first time she had ever seen him. Amy did not know that Shadow had even ever saw her. That was because whenever he even heard her voice in the doorway, he'd automatically spring to life and hide. Being in the prison had only sharpened Shadow's reactions, so he automatically knew how to hide himself. Whenever she had her back to him he'd dash away before anyone really noticed, and had caught at least a moment glimpse of her each time.

Each time he'd pass her, he never got to get a very detailed description of her but he knew one thing for sure: She was pink. So that was how Shadow got the first part of her nickname.

Now for the latter of the name, he had to do from the basement. But it wasn't hard; her voice filled the whole house. He knew her tone from a miles away. And that was the first thing he came up with. She was loud. VERY loud. She was even louder than the blue one. Not that he was very loud and it bothered Shadow, he just knew his footsteps and voice. But hers could wake up even the dead.

The next was the words she used. Though he could only hear bits and pieces, he made up enough facts to prove what she was just...annoying. That annoying bitchy girl. So, he came up with the, 'pink annoyance'.

This was the first time Shadow ever got to see Amy up-close. He had to say, she wasn't terrible looking, though he didn't find himself attracted to her. But all her personal traits were such a turn-off. Shadow was amazed the other hedgehog could put up with her.

He was even more surprised today seeing them kiss. He didn't know why, but it felt...weird. In a bad way. As if it wasn't right. And he never liked to stare at such things; he felt it made everyone feel awkward. But there he stood, staring directly at them until he slammed the door. And anyway, Shadow never had the chance to try such an act on someone else. Did he even really have the time and settings? Both in the Ark and G.U.N. So, of course, those things were strange to the secluded hedgehog.

He didn't really get why he blushed, though. He didn't think he wanted to know.

Perhaps he was embarrassed for Sonic at his poor woman selections. He scoffed at such a thought, and laid on his elbow.

That's what Shadow planned to keep telling himself.

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Rate and Review, as usual!