Again, Shadow found himself awaking upon not his couch and not back home. Instead, he awoke from Rouge's leather couch, a small drool puddle upon the leather as the pillow had fallen away in his sleep. Shrouded in the darkness, he peaked at his wrist communicator to find it was still rather early in the morning before dropping his head back down.
"Morning, sunshine."
Shadow jumped at the sudden voice, peeking over the couch to find a rather wide awake Rouge in a regal purple bathrobe behind the island of her kitchen. A steaming mug of coffee sat on the counter and a folded newspaper in her grasp, holding a pen to her chin in her off hand.
She hadn't looked up from it addressing the hedgehog in her sing-song tone. "Sleep well, lover boy?"
Shadow grumbled something under his breath. Rouge smiled, "Say, what's a nine letter word for examining something closely?" She asked, spinning the pen in her fingers. "I swear these crosswords get harder every week."
"You are up early," Shadow said, hiding beneath the small blanket as he felt the warmth and ease of sleep drifting away. "Is that normal for you?"
Rouge shrugged. "As normal as you crashing on my couch. Did you enjoy the movie marathon?"
The mention of the previous evening earned a grunt of acknowledgement from the hedgehog. "It was…informative."
"In a good way, at least?" Rouge giggled. "I'm surprised that you haven't at least heard of one of them in passing. I was enthralled when I first saw them. Imagine something like that happening this Thursday." She added with a wink.
"Hmph." Shadow grabbed the pillow he rested upon to his chest, attempting to return to sleep, coming face to face with a tower of movies before him.
On the coffee table sat a stack of DVDs, plots of love and relationships rushing back into his memory and bringing him to groan and turn back over to hide from them. How had he been so oblivious to the bat's references and hints into this side of interactions.
He thought back to the many scenes of couples standing in rainfall, hair plastered to their faces masking the tears fallen in the throes of mushy romantic confessions, and smashing their lips together desperately with the swelling orchestral soundtrack to smother you leading into the credits.
He held the pillow in his grasp to his face, the burning in his cheeks only deepening at the many, many scenes between a man and a woman, or two men or vice versa, and how he would drift off in the middle.
"Damn it," Rouge tossed the paper down on the counter and rose to her feet. "To hell with this, I'm looking this up."
As the bat departed back towards her bedroom, Shadow couldn't help but drift off while eyeing one particular film. One scene he recalled striking a chord within him.
He at some point found himself in a hotel room, vanilla color lighting and deep maroon satin blankets sprawled across the bed.
He sat on the bed's edge, a tie wrapped undone around his neck while he fiddled with a watch on his wrist. Before he knew it, two blue legs stood before him while a hand held his cheek and brought it to look up. Luscious greens gazed upon him, half hidden by royal blue lids as another hand pushed him back against the silk sheets.
Shadow sat straight up wide eyed with a face of crimson, throwing the pillow across the room as he got off the couch and quickly exited the apartment.
"Oh chaos, Shadow you have no idea how annoying this crossword-" Rouge paused, a tablet in her grasp. "Shadow?"
—
From the front door and traversing out the apartment complex, he breathed in the cool crisp morning air of Central City. Cars commuting past him, humans walking their canines and the distant scent of baked goods carried on the air.
His thoughts drifted in his still tired state, the blood vessels in his face having finally cooled and his sterner senses regaining control of his body temperature. His boots kicked on and he skated down the slowly growing busy streets.
Darting through traffic, he thought of his talk with the bat the night before. His heart giving an extra beat as the thought of his meeting with Sonic being only days away, he hopped over a few cars leaving a golden after effect in his wake.
He hadn't thought any further into the potential connection he could share with the blue speedster, giving a small panic to himself as doubt laid in hiding within the passing thought. His mind turned to the hedgehog, his beaming grin, the whimsical will he held for years, how within the darkest hour or minutes from meltdown, that fool could smile it all away like it were any other day.
Shadow grinned, speeding down one of the many roads leading out the city and leaping over the railings. The times he had given Sonic grief, the times a hand was extended only to be pushed away. The grin faded, replaced by an expression of regret. How easy it had become to block out that aura he brought with him, that light that illuminated every room he stepped in and brought contrast to the world with his existence.
Shadow skid to a stop, finding himself on a dirt path. He could make out the tops of the city's buildings and the beginnings of the forest towards his home on either side. HIs eyes darted between the two, finding his legs unsure where to go.
The pace of his heart increased as his gaze turned back to the city, as if he could sense something pulling him back. At that, his stomach gurgled and a wave of hunger brought him to roll his eyes and begin to back track towards the city's center.
In his travels, Shadow's thoughts again went back to Sonic and a lingering doubt that he stood before. Uneasiness aside, he had obstacles to leap on his path. First, the blue blur himself of course. However, even if he were to make it past their…
Shadow paused in his running, cringing at forcing his thoughts past the word date. Rouge had explained to him what she tends to relate to dates-hand holding, dinner, fairs. It all seemed rather trivial and unrelated to what he thought when it came to Sonic. Sure, with every new possibility the bat brought to him, it wasn't the worst thing to then imagine him and Sonic doing.
As he neared a café and stopped outside its door, he thought of what Sonic would like. The blue hedgehog had talked his ear off in passing during one occasion about his affinity for chili dogs, to which at the time Shadow wouldn't have given any further inspection.
—
"Morning, Sonic!" Tails called out, hearing the bedroom door shut from beyond his paper. The fox sat at a small dining table in their shared kitchen, a round window behind him facing the runway beneath.
Sonic emerged from the hallway, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and yawning. "Morning, buddy." His posture was lazy, eyes still shut as he pulled out a chair to join the fox at the table. Tails watched this and laid his paper down.
"Sonic?" He saw the hedgehog's head laid over his folded hands. "Are you alright? You look like you haven't slept."
"Heh, I kinda stayed up a little." Sonic chuckled, voice muffled before raising his head. "
Tails frowned, shifting in his place across him. "Up late, thinking about…you know who?"
Sonic leaned back in his chair, rubbing his arm and staring down at the table. "No…maybe," He said slowly, before dropping his head completely. "Yes, but only a little bit."
"You must be really anxious." Tails said, having stood up to grab a bowl from the cupboard along with a cereal box before turning back to the slumped over hedgehog. "I don't think I've ever seen you like this."
Sonic gave a heavy sigh, dropping his elbows on the table's edge. "It's dumb, I know, I'm overthinking it."
"I don't think it's dumb, Sonic. In fact it's pretty normal to have a hyperactive mind when you're excited, right?" Tails pondered aloud, bringing back a full bowl of cornflakes and milk to the table. "I mean, Amy used to talk about it all the time. Dates seem really stressful, don't see why people do it."
"What, you never thought about asking anybody out?" Sonic side eyed the fox. "No one's ever caught your eye, bro?"
Tails shrugged. "I guess I never gave any thought to it, always busy. You could ask her, you know she'd help you."
Sonic grimaced, staring out the window. "No, no. Besides, her and Cream are still traveling." He brought a hand up to cover his eyes. "Plus, it would be so awkward to ask dating advice from her, after so long."
"I guess so…" Tails thought, checks full of cereal. The two sat in silence a moment, before Tails snapped his fingers. "Hey! Why not ask Rouge?"
Sonic's eyes widened, smacking the table. "Oh, duh! Of course! She knows all about this kinda stuff." He hopped up to his feet. "Plus, she's gotta know all about Shadow!"
Tails smiled, "There you go, guess you know what to do."
"Yup! Thanks, lil buddy," Sonic walked around the table and ruffled the fox's hair to his protest. "Alright, I'll see you later!"
"But wait, Sonic! It's still-" Before the words could leave his mouth, the blue hedgehog had zipped out of view, leaving Tails alone at the table with his spoon raised. "-morning? Ugh, what am I going to do?"
The fox dropped his spoon into the bowl, turning to gaze out the window in his troubled thoughts. His older brother's infatuation with Shadow hadn't helped his own slumber in the slightest. The dots simply wouldn't connect, and wires hadn't uncrossed no matter the train of his mind traveled. Up until his eyes fell at last in his bed in the late hours, he wished he saw even the tiniest hint of what Sonic had described the previous night.
What warmth he could divulge from someone that sided with the likes of The Doctor? The likes of those horrid monsters that plunged from fiery portals ripping open above the city? His eyes narrowed, whenever the fox thought of Shadow it brought images of the hedgehog laying hands upon his brother. Fists shrouded in chaos energy, he fought against him once and barely got away before Sonic stepped in. Yet now, a pit with his stomach opened like a blackhole. A wave of guilt crashing over him and wringing a shuddering breath out of him.
At that, another door shut and Tails turned away from the window and was greeted by Knuckles turning around the corner with a towel around his neck. "Hey, Tails." He paused, looking around the room. "I thought I heard Sonic?"
Tails sighed, stirring the spoon around in the bowl. "Just missed him, he's headed to Rouge's for advice."
"Advice?" Knuckles asked, reaching into the fridge and retrieving a carton of orange juice. "What advice can he get from her?"
Tails froze, immediate regret upon realizing Knuckles was unaware of Sonic's situation. "Uh…hair stuff," he drew the words out slowly, unprepared and avoiding the echidna's face.
Knuckles peered at the fox over the carton, swallowing the juice and furrowing his brow. "Hair stuff." He repeated.
"Hair stuff." Tails quickly affirmed, nodding and going back to his cereal.
"Sonic needs advice on…but he has quills?" Knuckles rubbed his chin. "...Does that count as hair?" He brought his hands to the still wet quills draped behind his head, a slow panic crawling into his voice. "What can you even…then are these hairs?"
Tails rose his face to stonewall the echidna, slowly shaking his head. "Knuckles, what are you doing here?"
Knuckles shrugged. "My shower's getting fixed, so ya know."
Tails rolled his eyes and sighed, having picked up his paper and returned to scanning the page. "Nine letter word for examining something closely…"
—
"Hey, Rouge!" Sonic knocked, mouth filled with half a chocolate éclair. "Are you home?"
Sonic had sped all the way downtown, stopping for a quick bite at a local café for a pastry and some of his favorite- a medium sized blue flower Earl Gray. He had never tried to make coffee a part of his routine, mostly due to how the hedgehog struggled to get past the awfully bitter flavor.
Despite many attempts from his friends, colleagues, and evening the bat at one time tried. Besides, he was already quick by default! What was some dumb drink going to do to enhance that?
In this thought, Sonic was taken aback at the door opening and being met with the bat leaning against the door frame. "Heya, Blue. If you're here for another peak at Mr. Grumpy, you just missed him."
Sonic paused mid bite of his éclair. "Shadow was here? When did he leave?"
"Whoa, whoa. Relax!" Rouge laughed, standing aside and inviting the hedgehog into her apartment. "He stayed over for an impromptu movie night, and left rather abruptly earlier," She added, hiding a small giggle behind her hand. "So what brings you down here?"
Sonic sat upon the couch, setting his tea and pastry down on the coffee table. He then took another desperate sip, gathering courage and the right words. "Well…I was wondering, you have experience in romantic stuff, right?"
Rouge held a hand to her chest, a sly smile spreading on her lips. "Now, Sonic…Whatever do you mean?"
Sonic twiddled his thumbs, tapping his foot away subconsciously. "I…uh," he rocked back and forth on the leather, biting his lip. "I kinda-maybe have a date this Thursday, and I need some advice."
"Aww!" Rouge flapped her wings and joined her friend on the couch before pulling him into a hug. "Oh Blue, why didn't you say so? Of course I'll help you!"
Sonic sat nervous against the bat, his hand gripping at the tea cup. "Y-You will?"
"However," Rouge stated, pulling away and crossing her legs. "Once you are successful on this date, you must introduce me."
Sonic choked back on tea, wiping his mouth following the bat's laughter. "Wait, why?"
Rouge smirked, tapping a finger on her check. "Why, I'm just curious as to the type of person you're attracted to. And don't worry, I do this with everyone." She winked.
"O-Oh, okay." Sonic nodded, swallowing and tapping the lid of his tea. "So…"
"First," Rouge said, taking the pillow from behind her and placing it in her lap. "Describe this…person." She ordered, folding her hands and lacing her fingers. "You don't have to give any physical descriptors, of course, but what are somethings that come to mind when you think of them?"
Sonic paused at this, turning his gaze down to his shoes in thought. "Like, how I feel when around them, yeah?"
Rouge nodded, smiling as she awaited the hedgehog's answer. Sonic bit at the inside of his cheek, closing his eyes and picture the black hedgehog. He imagined the many times that they crossed paths-his stoicism, crossed arms and eyes piercing through him like javelins. The way he seemed to read through his movements in combat, counterattack his advancements, the cold and warmth that filled him with every word wrapped in his dark and distant tones…
"Blue?" Rouge waved a hand before his eyes. "Earth to wonder boy, You in there?"
Sonic rubbed his eyes, his cheeks reddening. "Hehe, sorry." He focused, taking a deep breath. "Well, he's pretty…reserved. He doesn't talk too much, or much less wants to most of the time." His ears pinned down, he sadly stared at the mostly empty tea cup. "For a while we didn't see eye to eye, and longer I thought he actually hated me."
Rouge tilted her head, frowning. "Now why is that?"
"He worked with Eg-uh I mean, bad, bad people," He quickly corrected, "in the past. Never wanted to get together unless he had to…but sometime ago, a few years," He smiled, "something changed."
"He would leave for sometime, always on a job, and while he was gone I'd wait. I found myself wanting to be the first person he saw when he came back, and the last when he left. It was the two times I could see and speak to him where he would seem genuinely-well, happy is a weird word, I guess…but something." He said, rolling the words around in his head. "He cares about me, I think. I'd like to think, potentially." He laughed.
"Why would you think he didn't?" Rouge asked, a hint of concern in the words as the hedgehog's body shifted in his spot on the couch. "You two sound like you have a lot of history." She hinted, still playing up to the act.
Sonic shrugged, slumping further into the cushions and giving a dry laugh. "I've asked myself that hundreds of times, and honestly I can't shake that I probably annoy him." He scratched his ear, eyes cast down upon the half eaten now unappetizing pastry. "I get it, I'm a lot to handle for just anybody. I'm thankful for my friends-you included, it's just I feel like maybe we just don't mix. I was surprised when he agreed to meet up this week at all." He sat up, taking the cup in his hands again to drink before turning to the bat. "That's when I started to think that maybe he needs someone like that. Maybe he's so cold because…he's hesitant. Like he couldn't risk that kinda thing."
The ears atop the bat's head flicked, internally screaming to herself at the candy coated words Sonic used to secretly describe her friend. Oh, if only this boy knew.
Sonic sipped the tea. "Over time, I started to see this glint in his eyes whenever we'd meet." He said, a dreamy look in his eyes as he turned to his reflection on the television. "He would smile, sometimes. I was pretty sure I'd never see it, but when he does it's like…I dunno! I just get excited, and I want it to stay. And I want to make him laugh, and smile, and just open up, because there's a side to him I don't think anybody sees but I can't stop thinking about it." His legs bounced excitedly as he spoke, bringing the bat to roll her neck in genuine happiness.
"Sonic," Rouge calmed herself, leaning in. "Be one hundred percent honest with me."
Sonic nodded slowly as the bat's voice dropped to a near whisper. "Would you say you have strong feelings for this man?"
At this, the blue hedgehog stared down at the cup in his hands. His mind brought to him a plethora-a film roll of every moment with the dark hedgehog. Their shared experiences, the fights, the time he was believed dead, after he came back, the betrayals. All came crashing down upon him, finishing with the small smiles he gave. The times where he could peek through the heavy guards he held up to a warmer Shadow, a truer Shadow. One he's thought of standing before him, one he's wanted to hold closer…
He stared back up at the bat, cheeks rosy and a shy smile spreading on his lips. "Yeah, I believe so."
Rouge beamed, covering her mouth. "Oh chaos, you are just the cutest!" She squealed, taking the hedgehog by surprise as she took his hands. "Say the word and I'll tell you everything you need to know!"
