Hey look, another update.

And this one is marginally hot, but not? I dunno.

Anyway, lead-up to drama, fluff and smut.

Hope you enjoy =]

BATTLE OF WILLS (PART 4)

Flipping through the channels on television, Amy sighs, takes a sip of her tea and immediately cringes. The blend is stronger and less floral than those used in Knothole, leaving a bitter taste in her throat.

She's yet to change out of her tracksuit, curled against the right arm of the chair on a pile of cushions, remote in her right hand and mug in her left. The television glares in the low light, and her eyes are beginning to strain, but she's determined to stay awake until Shadow returns. Mostly because it feels impolite not to, but she's not sure she could sleep right now, with so much coursing through her mind.

While she may not be the sharpest tool in the shed - especially when said shed included genius foxes - she was observant, and knew from experience that, nine times out of ten, a coincidence wasn't actually a coincidence at all. That being said, the timing of Shadow's summons to GUN headquarters was all shades of suspicious, and she can't fathom restful sleep without first being sure her mate is safe.

Mate. Using the term to describe the brooding hedgehog still felt foreign to her, yet it was accurate. He had expressed his desire for her to stay, and she had accepted. Between that and having copulated twice on the week-boundary of the Heat there wasn't much doubt about his status there.

What worries her and keeps her from sleep is his sense of self. More accurately, his lack of self. As far as she can see (at least from the limited knowledge she has about his past) everything he defines himself as has been dictated or decided by other people, and little to no time had been spent cultivating a sense of self beyond that.

He was what people chose to see; unstable, antisocial, dangerous.

To her, the most obvious symptom of that indoctrination was his nonchalance. He had no desire to dress or eat well, nor attempt to purchase more appropriate clothing despite having the funds to do so. The only pastime she knew of - maintaining his beloved motorcycle - was a gifted distraction by GUN, and she would honestly be surprised to find he did anything else.

She'd been in a similar situation a decade back, having just wished herself older to join the Freedom Fighters and her beloved Sonic. Physically a teenager, she had yet to mature mentally, and had allowed her identity to be determined by what she thought would make her attractive to Sonic. Just remembering the girl she used to be makes her cringe. She sweeps that memory train aside to focus on the present, and Shadow.

More than anything, she wants to help him, but doesn't really know how. Nothing anyone said to her could've changed her mind back then, and knowing stubbornness was an innate hedgehog trait convinces her trying to force the point was, well… pointless.

She'd need to let Shadow come to her. But would he?

Right now, she wants him to know he's supported. With that in mind, she wants to welcome him home and bid him goodnight before retiring to bed. Plus, she's pretty sure it would be rude to simply take the bed while he was absent, even if the hedgehog slept very little.

Time passes slowly. CookTV is possibly the most boring channel in existence but, after perusing the alternative three hundred and sixty seven channels (and feeling her face burn when stumbling across the pay-per-view porn stations) to find nothing but disappointment and Reality TV, she grudgingly returns to watching middle-aged human women make simple food items from scratch.

Shadow's been gone two hours when her eyes start to feel heavy. Without realising it, her blinks have become elongated as she struggles to stay conscious, barely preventing her tea from spilling five times in ten minutes when her hand limpens in momentary slumber. In an attempt to fight it off, she draws herself more upright and blinks rapidly for a few seconds, but all it does is make her eyes water and irritates her already bloodshot corneas.

Her mind feels bleary, and she has to stifle a yawn in the back of her glove. She places the mug down on the coffee table and hunches forwards, elbows on knees as she pinches the corners of her eyes and rubs them gently. A sigh turns into another yawn, and she realises this isn't going to work.

She drops her forearms to her thighs and looks back up at the television for a moment, mentally weighing the merits and negatives of guest etiquette. Almost falling asleep again, she makes an executive decision and turns the television off, resigned to failure.

I'll just have to apologise tomorrow, she thinks, expecting the living area to be plunged into silence. Instead, she's met with the ambient noise of the apartment block; air conditioners in flanking units whirring against the cold, the soft padding of feet trying not to wake neighbours, and the occasional muffled shout or excited exclamation from outside as young humans and Mobians enjoyed themselves.

Absently wondering if Station Square ever sleeps, she disregards the sounds around her and stands, stretching her arms above and behind her head as she rocks onto her tiptoes. She's unable to contain the pained groan as seized muscles complain about the movement, but the discomfort soon passes. She retrieves the mug and takes a sip only to recoil in disgust at the cold concoction.

Unwilling to waste a good cuppa, she pads into the kitchen and puts the mug in the microwave, pausing to marvel at the still lively city below.

Once the sun set in Knothole, most everyone retired to their homes either to light a candle to read by or head for bed, allowing them to rise with the sun come morning. Here, ambient light from street lanterns was enough to lighten the main room of Shadow's apartment in a pale yellow hue and, in contrast to village life, some people's days were just beginning; groups of humans and Mobians meandered in and out of the spotlights cast on pavements in various states of intoxication. Corner stores advertised 24/7 opening hours for all needs. Even the odd car still drove past, the roars of their engines reduced to a kitten's mewl by the thick glass between her and them.

The shrill beep of the microwave draws her attention back inward and she pops the door to retrieve her prize, blowing on the steaming liquid tentatively. The ceramic beneath her gloves radiates the warning of thermonuclear contents. She still hasn't quite gotten a handle on using the small, electronic device effectively.

She inhales deeply and smiles. The scent of slightly burnt tea leaves isn't too pleasant, but the intoxicating aroma of rich chocolate from the now-cooled cookies on the bench in front of her is a bubble of familiarity amongst all the stark newness of late, one she hoped Shadow would enjoy, given the contents of his cupboards.

One of her first distractions to stay awake had been to reorganise - well, organise, because all Shadow seemed to buy was was coffee and noodle cups - the cupboards, and while emptying the single shelf he used for storage to pack the fresh groceries away, she'd found a small bar of very expensive dark chocolate. It had been opened, but just a few squares removed, suggesting while he enjoyed the treat he was one to ration it.

Of course, she hasn't eaten any of his chocolate, but it had given her the idea to express her gratitude towards the quiet hedgehog by making use of one of her strengths; she could bake him something.

Noting the lack of any supplies that morning, she'd taken the liberty of stocking the cupboards while grocery shopping and, with a penchant for baking in her spare time, she'd thought it prudent to get baking supplies. She hadn't expected the aisles to be as well stocked as they were, and was initially overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of ingredients she'd never even heard of before getting excited and having to reign herself in, so as not to buy everything just because she could.

She takes a reflexive sip of her tea and regrets it immediately, the scalding liquid burning sensitive flesh on contact. She jolts her head back and curses, some tea sloshing onto the counter as she puts the mug down quickly, her other hand raising to the affronted skin and gingerly prodding her lip. The tip of her tongue feels like sandpaper and pain surges through it with her pulse, causing her to hiss in discomfort.

She turns to the sink, dampens a cloth, and has just pressed it to the slight swelling on her mouth when someone knocks on the door.

The sound is rapid and impatient, ten to twelve sudden bangs in quick succession. Despite herself, Amy freezes with the cool cloth to her face and goes silent. Nerves creep under her skin, fur on her forearms standing to attention as years of resistance training reacts to a perceived threat that only feels worse in the immediate silence afterwards. She places the cloth on the breakfast bar, pain in her lip forgotten as adrenaline began to raise her heart rate, and creeps towards the door.

She jumps out of her skin when the knocks sound again. More this time, faster than before. Steeling herself, she takes a deep breath and opens it before her courage can falter.

oOoOo

His hand is poised to knock again when the door cracks open, and he smiles reflexively, the toothy grin spreading across his muzzle a familiar trademark to anyone on Mobius. This smile falters slightly, however, when it isn't Shadow that opens the door.

"Sonic?" The fuschia hedgehog's tone sounds as confused as he feels, her brows knitting into a frown as she opens the door a little wider. Her usual red dress absent, she's dressed comfortably in a tracksuit, and it's hard not to stare at the curves the soft material accentuates. His gaze sweeps up to her face and then he frowns himself, the sore on her lip obviously new and painful.

He drops his knocking fist back to his side while raising the other hand to her face, fingers tentatively reaching for the sore. It doesn't look split - perhaps burned? - but it certainly looks painful, though his concern crumbles into hurt when she flinches away from his touch. "What're you doing here?" Her tone is sharp enough to sting, and he withdraws his hand as he studies her features, noting the mild discomfort there.

She was upset. He supposes she has the right to be, given their last encounter, but he wasn't prepared for this interaction when calling on Shadow for their fortnightly bowling outing. He had been avoiding Knothole on purpose since the incident to prevent this exact circumstance and now it seems to have been forced on him, his brain falters, unable to form words.

His conscience had got the better of him quickly and he'd admitted his actions to Sally within hours of returning to New Metropolis. Knowing what he did wasn't right, he stood and took the verbal abuse she threw at him and left when ordered, glad for the sheer size of the palace they resided in as he sulked about the furthest wing for a day and a half.

It was almost two days before she called him back, a few hours of discussion before acknowledging the Heat's effects as the perpetrator, that his actions hadn't entirely been his own. Despite this understanding, he'd apologised profusely and promised not to go near her while the hedgehog Heat still raged.

Now, he'd unknowingly broken that promise.

Her scent is still strong. The strength of pheromones seeping tantalizingly out of Shadow's apartment through the doorway suggests she's been there a while since their last encounter. But he still finds it alluring, meaning she was yet to be claimed by the ebony hedgehog as a mate, even if they'd slept together.

Sonic forces that thought, along with the accompanying mental images, to the back of his mind as he pastes a smile back onto his face. "Looking for Shads, of course. This is his apartment."

Amy shifts uncomfortably under his gaze, hugging herself with her arms and looking down to her bare feet. "He got called into work," she responds without looking back up. He finds the body language odd, unsure if she's ashamed of being caught here or his presence is making her uneasy. "A few hours ago. I don't know when he'll be back."

"Oh." He was under the impression Shadow was retired, though he supposed GUN calling in former agents wasn't unheard of if their skill set was relevant. They stand there in awkward silence for a few seconds before Sonic's feet begin to itch. He takes a few steps away from the door, his movement drawing Amy's gaze back from the floor as he jabs a thumb towards the exit. "Guess I'll come back another time, then. Tell Shads I-"

The door opens a little wider. "You could… come in and wait, if you wanted?" He pauses, thumb still aimed over his shoulder, as she continues. "I mean, if he's expecting you, it'll be rude to just leave, right..?"

Reading facial expressions had never been Sonic's forté, but he tries regardless, noting the weak smile on her lips as she moves aside for him to enter. It looks friendly but forced, and he's not sure what to make of it.

Did she want him to be there when Shadow returned, for some reason? Given the pair had hardly spoken outside of necessity, it seemed weird she'd suddenly be willingly staying in his home. Perhaps there was more going on here than he knew, and leaving her in Knothole had somehow led to her being wrapped up with Shadow in a way she didn't want?

He'd worked with the brooding hedgehog plenty of times and Sonic had got the impression he had no sexual desires at all, since he'd never shown interest in anyone, not even Rouge. On the other hand, Shadow was an exceptionally private person and adept at keeping any emotion besides his temper under tight control.

What if he was using her? It would explain why he hadn't claimed her yet, if there was no intention to raise any urchins they produced. Was he capable of something like that? To use another for his own gratification and then cast her aside, leaving her to fend for herself?

His own experiences with his darker counterpart leaves him unsure, and that worries him.

"Sure," his own smile is wide and genuine as he accepts her offer and steps inside. The apartment is as sparsely decorated as he remembered, the absence of small touches Amy would add to her own home - flowers, colourful throws and cushions, trinkets - adding to his concern.

She closes the door behind him and flicks on a light, illuminating the space in a harsh whiteness a moment later. He squints against the brightness as Amy moves past him and retrieves a damp cloth from the breakfast bar and presses it to her lip with a relieved sigh.

A steaming mug sat in a puddle of spilled tea seems to be the cause of her burnt lip. She pours the contents away with her free hand and leaves the mug by the sink before turning back to him, leaning back against the counter. "So… what were you and Shadow going to do? Just watch TV or something?"

Sonic leans up against the fridge casually, arms loosely folded across his chest. "Nah. We usually go bowling, then drop into Rouge's bar for a drink. Sometimes we get something to eat, too, if I complain about being hungry enough."

The pink hedgehog chuckles a moment but stops when he doesn't join in, raising an eyebrow. "You're serious." Azure shoulders shrug slightly and she looks incredulous. "Shadow bowls? If I didn't know you better, I'd say you were having me on."

The tension he'd sensed earlier dissipates and an easy grin curls his lips. "Swear to Chaos. He's got a mean bowling arm, too. I keep trying to get him to join the Mobian Marauders bowling team, but of course he refuses." He's glad to hear Amy giggle at that, and he snickers as well, drawn in by her infectious laughter.

A comfortable silence lapses into being as they calm down, his previous fears abating slowly. Amy seemed happy enough, spoke lightly of her ebony host and the tray of fresh cookies opposite him suggested she was comfortable in the apartment. He felt kind of stupid now for even entertaining the idea; Shadow was intense, but he wasn't cruel. At least, he didn't think so.

It was about this moment he realised he'd actively let himself be drawn into a problematic situation. His heart rate was faster than it should be, his muscles warm and jittery in the presence of Amy's pheromones. He finds himself staring at her chest and has trouble dragging his gaze away.

She was so hot in that tracksuit.

He clears his throat awkwardly. "So… you and Shadow, huh?" she goes a little pink in the cheeks and nods, looking away from his gaze. "I didn't… I mean, it's not a match I saw coming, but… so long as you're both happy, congrats." She nods again, her cheeks flaring brighter, and he waits for her to make a comment.

When she doesn't reply for a few minutes, he continues. "Do you… know why he hasn't marked you yet?" The expression she turns on him is sharp and he raises his hands defensively. "I'm just asking! Most males mark their intended as soon as they… you know." Have sex. He doesn't want to say it out loud knowing they did the deed and he purposely fought the urge to mark her, an obvious sign she wasn't his intended mate.

The glare softens and she sighs, hugging herself around the torso. "I don't know. He already asked me to stay, and I accepted, but…" Her eyes close as she shrugs. "He grew up in space with humans. Maybe he doesn't know that's what he's supposed to do?"

"Maybe." He doesn't sound convincing and he knows it. He's trying to ignore the growing urge to pin her against the sink and mark her himself, her scent so strong it's beginning to override his common sense because she's right there, and he knows she'll happily submit in the moment from their past intimacy.

She couldn't be too attached to Shadow yet, right?

A neuron still capable of logical thinking fires and reminds him of Sally, of their recent betrothal and wedding plans, and his promise to avoid Amy. His legs itch to move again and he pushes himself off the fridge. "I should go." He can imagine the confusion on her features at the sudden outburst even with his back to her. "I'll come back tomorrow and bug Shads. You'll tell him I dropped by?"

He hears her shift and move away from the sink. Her tone is soft and tinged with sadness as she grabs his wrist. "Sonic… its okay. Really. I forgive you." He closes his eyes and wills the heating of his skin under her touch away. "And… we need to talk about… something I did, before you hear it from someone else."

Something she did? He blinks slowly, trying to decipher meaning from that cryptic statement, but none comes. He's vaguely aware he needs to remove himself from this situation but can't remember why. Her scent is intoxicating, heat spreading through his body from her touch and pooling in his groin.

"Sonic, please, look at me." Her tone has morphed into an anxious one. She pulls on his wrist to turn him and he complies, sweeping his gaze slowly from her feet up to her face, his mouth drying at the temptation in her curves. Her eyes glisten despite the harsh light, and he realises they're tearful. His focus moves to her lips as she speaks. "I didn't mean to… but I was so upset, and-"

No longer able to restrain himself, Sonic leans in and kisses her, groaning at their warm softness against his own. She doesn't reciprocate the gesture but he doesn't care, pressing his body to hers and pushing her back against the fridge as he loses himself in her taste.

Hands come up to his shoulders and he catches them, pressing them back against the cool plastic as he licks her lips, begging for entry to taste her fully. To his surprise, she doesn't comply, instead turning her head away and breaking the kiss. "Sonic, stop." He's taken aback and pulls away slightly to study her, hands still captured above her head against the fridge.

She looks rightfully ruffled. Her cheeks are pink and her breath is heavy, her body shivering beneath him as his groin presses to her stomach. He can feel his member hardening in its sheath, likely to become visible at any moment if she continued to look so sexy. Every signal her body is giving off is one of lust.

He leans in to regain her lips, but she twists her head away again, his lips instead coming into contact with her cheek. Neither able nor willing to stop, he continues to trail kisses down her neck, grinning against her skin as she shudders and moans beneath him. He reaches her collarbone before she speaks again, her breathy pleas only increasing his arousal. "Sonic, please, stop. This isn't what I want."

Sonic pauses, letting that sink in before he straightens again to look her in the eyes. His own breath is heavy and his body hot, the tip of his penis already exposed and leaving a thin trail of white between it and her sweatshirt. Her body still screams need, but her eyes… they're tearful, full of sadness, and he doesn't understand.

Letting go of her, he takes a step back. Her arms slowly return to her sides as they stare at each other, Amy's cheeks such a deep red it reaches her ear tips. Her chest heaves as she regains her composure, his own doing the same as he tries to follow suite but everything besides her words is screaming for him to continue.

The silence stretches on, prompting the blue hedgehog to speak. "You apologised," he states. The fuschia one nods, allowing the fridge to keep her upright. "Look, I don't care if you slept with Shadow or not, I-"

Amy's snort cuts him off and he frowns. Her arousal diminishes rapidly as anger twists her features, the sudden change catching him off guard. "Seriously? Why would I apologise for sleeping with Shadow? Why is that any of your business?" He opens his mouth and closes it again, unable to form a sensible retort. "Exactly. It isn't, but he's the reason I don't want this." She motions between her soiled sweatshirt and his retreating erection.

Now he's really confused, and it must be beginning to show on his face as the other sighs and holds her head in her hands. Silence encases them, the ambient noise of the city ignored in their suffocating bubble, until Amy straightens again and folds her arms across her chest. "I didn't invite you in for… whatever that would have been. I thought you'd actually like to wait for Shadow, and I do have something I need to talk about."

"What?" The question comes before he can stop it, before he can turn and sprint out of that apartment and back to New Metropolis. A sense of dread settles in his stomach as Amy grimaces and takes a few seconds to compose herself. "Aimes, what could you possibly have done..?"

She inhales deeply. "I slept with Tails."