This chapter was possibly one of the most challenging to write, so far, as I wanted to get it absolutely perfect. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out though! ^w^
Replies
Thank you SO much to: IslandoftheMidnightSun, Failsona, Guest, Ren, Aura Creed, TenshiHaou and MysteryGirl! Thank you so so so much for all your support and heart-warming comments. I appreciate it so much :'3
IslandoftheMidnightSun - Oh my gosh, that is so so so flattering, thank you so much! :'3 And I'm so glad that the angel and devil costumes were a hit! I may have to consider bringing them back, in some way...haha! It makes me ridiculously happy to hear that I've reawakened someone's passion for a ship, through my work, and I'd encourage you whole-heartedly to write a Shadilver oneshot! I'd love to read it! :D
Failsona - Hahaha! I applaud your #EvilNinja skills! ;D Oh noes, I must try harder to bring out the inner theorist again~! Awww, hopefully this chapter will put your heart back together again! (Though, as always with my stories, be prepared for it to break again, because I can't go two chapters without putting characters through torment XD). Thank you so much for your continued support, I appreciate it more than words can convey!
Guest - Awwww, haha! ...Maybe ;} I also predicted that I wouldn't update in time for Halloween and was sadly proven right! X'D It makes me so happy that you thought the chapter was cute!
Ren - Helloooo! :D Gah, it still makes me all giddy to think that my chapter made you nearly fall off the couch! xD N'awwww, thank you ever so much! Bahahaha, that made me laugh so much — exactly, as Shadow points out, there's a time and a place, Knuckles and Rouge! x'D Hehe, Rouge is on the ball here! Blaze actually breaks my heart, I hate (but also kinda love) doing this to her D': Thank you so much for checking the fan art out! Speesh is an incredible artist!
Aura Creed - Thank you so much! I'm so happy that you enjoyed the two chapters! :'3 Oooh, absolutely, Blaze and Silver are going to experiencing some hard truths soon. Gahhhhh, thank you! I definitely want to explore the grittiness of their issues and let them explore them together, so there will definitely be more conversations like that to come! Along with a few other things ;D Awwww, thank you ever so much! I'll try not to!
TenshiHaou - I'm so glad to hear that, thank you! It warms my heart to hear that you're enjoying my story so much!
MysteryGirl - Eeeeek, thank you ever so much! Oh gosh, Mephiles is rather creepy in this, isn't he? I really hope you enjoy this next chapter!
10. Erotology
"Harder."
Silver smashes his fist into Shadow's face.
The Ultimate Life Form's head snaps sideways with a sickening crunch. Shadow firmly grasps the curve of his jaw, tracing the line for any breakages, and swallows down the blood, "Again."
"Shadow," Wincing, Silver rubs the back of his right hand, attempting to soothe the throbbing of his knuckles and the guilt in his stomach, "Maybe we should take a break for today. My hand feels like it's about to break and this can't be good for your jaw."
"Alright," Gruffly, Shadow relents and lets Silver fall out of his fighting stance, before stepping back, "We'll continue in the next session. We still need to build up your core strength and pain tolerance."
"Okay," Hot and flushed and breathing deeply, Silver sighs at the sweltering sky. Their training has gone on a lot longer than usual, as Shadow doesn't need to report to GUN today — they've been sparring under the boiling sun for the past two hours. There's a cold trickle of sweat drying along Silver's quill-line, the curve of his jaw and the pits of his arms. Oddly, his thick, heavy boots haven't created much sweat but, when Silver stops moving, he can feel the heat building inside them like a faulty pressure-cooker.
Even Shadow releases a drawn-out sigh, tired and overheating.
Shyly, Silver peers at him, whilst the ebony hedgehog's back is turned. Things have been different between them, ever since Amy's Halloween party, even though they've only interacted during their training sessions. The atmosphere between them is bafflingly bipolar: their conversation continuously switches from beatifically calm to tensely profound in a heartbeat. It feels as though they're toeing a line and it's inevitable that they will one day cross it.
Neither of them knows what is on the other side.
Silver knows what he would like to find on the other side. Until recently, he'd resigned himself to accepting that any reciprocated feelings were a wild fantasy, because Shadow is Shadow and Silver is Silver and it would never happen.
But everything has been thrown up into the air, so suddenly, that now he's not entirely sure.
(The touching of their hands had definitely hovered over the line.)
With that pitiful hope that only comes from being lovesick, Silver wonders if he's being offered a chance by some volatile twist of fate, even though he knows it's absurd. He'd never forgive himself if he knew that he'd had a shot and had stubbornly ignored it.
His thoughts drift back to Amy's tarot card reading: The Lovers.
"You need to tell them how you feel!"
Silver remains still, watching Shadow curve his arm outwards, glove pulled taut against his hand, arm muscles flexing and shoulder-blades sharpening. The Ultimate Life Form's back is achingly straight and, when he catches Silver's eye, it uncoils even more, somehow. Shadow tilts his head, curious and attentive to Silver's movements. He blinks, adorably wide-eyed. Something in Silver bolsters.
"Shadow?"
"Yes?"
"What are you doing tonight?"
The words steal Silver's breath as they leave his lips. He waits and Shadow frowns, twisting his hips to address him, face-on.
"Nothing specific. Club Rouge is often busy on a Friday and Rouge appreciates the help," Shadow's brow furrows further at the disappointed slouch of Silver's shoulders, "I do not have a scheduled shift, however. Why do you ask?"
"Well, I just… um, I was wondering if… whether you'd like to… uh, meet?"
"Meet?" His face briefly clears with realisation, "You wish to train?"
"N-No. No. That wasn't what I—" Silver takes a deep breath (one…two…three) and swallows, "I was thinking dinner."
"Dinner?"
"Yes."
"What for?"
Silver chuckles, nervously, and wishes that the ground could swallow him whole. Alternatively, now would be a great time for Mephiles to show up, "Does there have to be a reason?"
"No," Judging by the flash of perplexity, Shadow hadn't expected his reply to shoot out so quickly, "No, I suppose not. It's just… unexpected."
"Unexpected?"
"Why do you want to have dinner with me?"
Because I've spent months dreaming about it, dreaming of anything that involves you, "I like spending time with you."
"Why? I'm not— My conversation isn't—" Shadow clumps his mouth shut, clearly frustrated — but with himself rather than Silver — and glares to the right, "You would not say that if you knew me."
Silver smiles, oddly charmed by Shadow's insecurity, but also deeply saddened by it, "Then dinner might be a good way for us to get to know each other."
"How would dinner even affect—?" As Shadow snaps his gaze back to Silver and clarity floods into his eyes, the time traveller goes numb with fear and dread, "You're asking me on a date."
A knot tightens in Silver's stomach and it broods there, as he gabbles, "I-I'm sorry, I've read this wrong, I didn't mean it like that, just forget I said—!"
"Okay."
Silver's heart stutters, splutters and stops, "—W-What?"
"I'd be open to that," Shadow has turned his back during Silver's bradycardia; he looks over his shoulder and softens at the grey hedgehog's gob-smacked expression. A bright light dances in his eyes and it can only be described as hopeful, "A date. With you. That is what you're proposing?"
"I— um. Yes. I guess so."
"Good," Refuelled with something — Silver can't tell what it is, but it almost looks like Shadow has a spring in his step — the Ultimate Life Form heads for the exit of the clearing, without looking back. But he pauses at the mouth and Silver straightens when their eyes meet, "I will come to you. Be ready for seven."
With a low swshhhhhhhhh, Shadow skates away.
Silver is silent and stunned.
Then he suddenly finds that he can't stop smiling, as butterfly wings beat against the insides of his stomach.
There's a deep, earth-rumbling purr of an engine on the dot of seven, that evening.
Sonic raises a knowing eyebrow at Silver, from the other side of the couch. He abandons the magazine spread out in his lap — which Silver suspects he hadn't been reading anyway — and leaps towards the windows, ducking his head underneath the living room curtains and peering out, tail twitching.
"Ha! I knew it!"
Silver gets to his feet, as Sonic slides back out from under the fabric, "Knew what?"
"He's pulled out his trump-card. His guaranteed-to-cause-heart-failure-tactic," Sonic smirks, folding his arms and rhythmically tapping his foot against the floor, "You're a special one, Silv. He doesn't bring that ol' thing out for just anybody."
The grey hedgehog swallows, fearful of what Sonic is implying, wondering if the Blue Blur has worked out that Silver's evening with Shadow has heavier connotations than just 'hanging out'. Sonic is the only other person in the Workshop, right now — Tails and Blaze have gone out to collect some supplies from Station Square — and so Silver had reluctantly told Sonic that he would be spending the evening with Shadow, hoping to avoid confusion about why the Ultimate Life Form has suddenly rocked up to Mystic Ruins. Sonic had been surprised by the news, but not too surprised, and that had instantly sent Silver into a miniature hurricane of panic.
This miniature hurricane was promptly sucked into a gigantic typhoon of worry, which has been growing stronger ever since Shadow agreed to go on a date with him.
"I should probably go out there," Silver says, trying to convince himself rather than Sonic.
"Yep! He's waiting for ya," Sonic saunters towards the front door and releases the latch, encouragingly holding it open, "Have fun! Don't go too crazy, ya hear?"
With his heart swimming in his mouth, Silver nods and steps outside into the gorgeous tropical surroundings of the Workshop. Sonic watches from the doorway, proudly, leaning. As Silver shyly glances over his shoulder, he sees the blue hedgehog send an amused wink in Shadow's direction, before retreating back into the house.
"Hello."
Silver faces forward, numb.
"Hi."
"Are you ready?"
"I am," He quickly reassesses himself, as he peers down at his body. Silver hadn't wanted to put Shadow off, so he looks as he usually does, but he has freshened up, sprayed a few tentative squirts of sandalwood-scented aftershave and run a quick comb through his quills. He's extremely glad that he did, "Are you?"
"Yes," It's only as Silver trails his gaze down Shadow's frame — jeez, he hasn't even altered anything, either, but he still looks unfairly beautiful — that he notices the vehicle that the ebony hedgehog has been leaning against.
"…Oh, Chaos."
Shadow frowns, follows Silver's line of sight, and relaxes, "Ah. I see. My motorbike does tent to attract a fair bit of attention."
Silver can see why.
Painstakingly polished and glossy, the black motorbike vainly sings in the sunlight, with metal cannisters reflecting light beams in all different directions. The thick, shock-absorbent rubber tires have skid marks across the outer surface, but otherwise they look almost brand-new. The handlebars are long and low for easier handling and a more classical look, but the single headlight is modern and strong for practicality. Silver eyes up the white insignia stamped on the side — the letter G, surrounded by stars — and wonders if the motorbike has a connection to GUN.
"It's beautiful," Silver breathes, eagerly stepping closer, as Shadow stands, flattered, and allows him to take a closer look, "Does it have a name?"
When Shadow doesn't answer, the time traveller looks up. He's wearing a bemused, yet fond, smile, "A name?"
"Yeah. Like Tails calling his plane the Tornado. Do you call your motorbike anything?"
Shadow stares at him, for a moment, before fixing his gaze on the ground and trailing his left hoverskate through the grass, "Dark Rider."
"Dark Rider?" Silver smiles and runs an appreciative hand over the bike's bodywork, silently thanking it for protecting its rider, which he's sure it's done, many a time, "I like it. It's fitting."
Now adamantly looking at the sky, Shadow is struggling to cover up the slight tinge on his cheeks.
"Shall we go?" He asks, gruff but not unfriendly. With a single, fluid movement, Shadow swings his leg over the seat and settles into position, looking ridiculously attractive atop the motorbike.
"…Sure," Stomach fluttering, Silver mirrors Shadow's movements and sinks behind the ebony hedgehog. Utterly unintentionally, they sit close together, pressing into the small space, and Silver can feel himself burning hotter and hotter, as his legs graze Shadow's.
"You need to put your arms around my waist."
Removing his vice-like grip from the rims of the motorbike, Silver does as he is told, settling his palms against the jut of Shadow's hipbones. He breathes.
"Is this okay?"
"…That's fine."
With a brisk kick and a twist of the handle, the engine roars to life and screams to be unleashed. They take off almost instantly, sliding away down the dusty path, from the Workshop to the city, moving as easily as if they were tearing across ice. Silver throws his arms around the entirety of Shadow's waist and squeezes, tightly, pressing his cheeks against his neck, eyes firmly shut.
Privately, Shadow smiles.
Eventually, Silver dares to open his eyes and watches, in wonderment, as the world blurs into nothing.
Shadow takes a quick glance over his shoulder, "Do you have a destination in mind?"
"It's a surprise."
"Alright. Direct me."
It's all kind of perfect, really.
Silver sighs, a smile etched on his face, as the night air caresses his skin, fresh and cooling. Elbows propped upon the bridge's stone wall, he stares up at the altar to the Sun God of Soleanna — or, rather, Solaris — which dwells in the centre of Soleanna's huge, central bay. The grey hedgehog's eyes trace the curves of the monument, mapping the path which flames would take to reach the giant bowl on top, where Princess Elise had once laid a torch and lit a huge breath of fire to ignite the sculpture.
Tonight, the altar is quiet and unlit.
But the city is alive and burning with light: the annual Festival of the Sun is approaching, and preparations are already being made. Gorgeous, red balls of light have been dotted around the bay — they twinkle from the roofs of houses, stretch across the gaps between buildings, clamber along the rise and fall of bridges. Silver is encircled by light, standing beneath the archway upon the central bridge, and everything is just so beautiful. The gondolas bob upon the water's surface, carrying golden fairy lights that are strung across the oars and helms.
It's the City of Water but, truthfully, it's also the City of Light.
The evening breeze brushes his fur back, cupping his face and shaping his quills with particularly cutting bursts of wind. Up here, the streets are surprisingly desolate compared to the walkways below; they teem with ant-sized people, making Silver feel god-like above them. He swallows, huddles into himself, and looks upwards. The sky is a deep, navy blue, smudged with charcoal.
"—ntly, for the festival, Princess Elise herself is going to light the fire! She's so pretty! I can't wait to see what she wears up close—!"
Silver peers over his shoulder, watching the two girls pass behind him, wrapped up in their own world of wonder and gossip. He stares after them, somewhat longingly, as he pictures the frightened princess, surrounded by gunfire, being swept up by a blue hedgehog. Silver remembers how his glove had stretched against his fist, as he'd watched from above, simmering.
"Am I interrupting?"
The grey hedgehog turns in the other direction. Instinctively, a smile spreads across his lips.
"Of course not," Silver smoothly responds, as Shadow joins him at the bridge's balcony and places the paper bags on the stone ledge. The Ultimate Life Form raises an eyebrow, but he just seems somewhat amused, rather than irritated.
"Good," Satisfied, Shadow reaches into the bag and removes a Styrofoam burger box, handing it to Silver, before also offering a paper cone of chips.
Silver takes them and then pauses, guiltily, "You know, when I said dinner—"
"We've discussed this," Shadow tells him, distractedly examining his own burger, after unwrapping it.
"I know, but I was the one who offered dinner, even though you shot off to get it, when we arrived, before I could stop you…" Silver's jaw grows ever-so-slightly slack, as Shadow sinks his teeth into his meal and chews, with an almost mystified expression. The grey hedgehog stifles a laugh: even he's had a burger before, "…Uh. Just. What I'm trying to say is… I would have taken you to a restaurant. If you'd wanted. And paid. So. We could've done that. Just—"
"I appreciate your insistence that I am not just a cheap date."
Silver looks at Shadow. He notices the teasing glint in those crimson eyes and pouts.
"You know what I'm trying to say."
Shadow smirks, "Really, Silver, I prefer this with you. In recent years, I've gained a certain… notoriety, that would be recognised in such a public place. This is good."
Sonic would probably say that Silver has just received the highest form of praise possible from Shadow.
Smiling to himself, Silver blushes and delicately tears a chip in half, with his front teeth. Soft, amber lights are tanning the brick walls of the buildings around the river, illuminating them in the chilling dark. The water's surface ripples and dips, curling the reflection of floating boats, slinking along like molten silver.
"I was surprised that you took us here."
Silver looks at Shadow again. The ebony hedgehog doesn't look back, instead choosing to crumple his empty wrapper between his palms.
"Surprised? Why?"
Shadow fixes his stare on the bay, "Judging by both yours and Blaze's reactions when I told Sonic about Soleanna, neither of you are fond of the place."
"Oh," Silver picks at the remains of his chips. So he'd noticed, then. The time traveller feels embarrassed and a bit nervous — does Shadow know the truth, has he worked it out already? — but there's also a sense of relief. He doesn't know why, "Are we that easy to read?"
"A little," Another sly smirk, "But it is my job to observe people."
"You know, I was surprised when I heard that you worked for GUN."
His mouth straightens, "Yes, well. It wasn't an entirely voluntary process."
"You were forced to join?" When Shadow turns and stares at him, Silver schools his expression into something a little less horrified. The ebony hedgehog takes a slow, long look, "I-I'm sorry. That was really forward of me. You don't have to answer that."
"It's not that. It's just… my record wasn't exactly clean, before I joined. There's a lot of bad that you don't want to know."
"I do want to know the bad bits. Only if you want to tell me."
"I…" Shadow's jaw is methodically clenching and unclenching. Patiently, Silver waits, because he's clearly thinking things through, "I didn't tell you, before, because… well. Because, after killing twenty-four GUN agents during the invasion, I was offered the choice of working for GUN until I am gunned down, or a life sentence."
Shit, "…Gunned down?"
"There's only one way a GUN agent's career ends."
Silver has to turn and focus his eyes on the water's surface, furiously blinking, willing himself not to cry, because he knows Shadow would loathe that. He berates himself for getting upset — Chaos, Silver, Shadow's the one who's dealing with all this, stop being so selfish! — and remains quiet.
"I didn't intend to lower the tone."
Desperately, Silver whips his head sideways in a vigorous shake and grabs Shadow's upper arm, frantic, "No! You didn't! I'm just… I-I'm honoured you told me that. And… I don't want to push you any more than I already have."
"You haven't."
"Good," The grey hedgehog's hand retreats, relieved.
Shadow nods, encouragingly, "Let's move onto lighter things."
"Right!" Shifting the paper cone into his left hand, Silver turns and gestures for them to continue their stroll across the bridge, towards the walkways. Shadow takes the lead and glances over his shoulder, making sure that Silver is at his side, which causes the time traveller's heart to swoop, just a little bit, "Maybe we should avoid all topics of conversation about our pasts. Just to be safe."
"That might be a good idea," He agrees, chuckling, "The present is preferable."
"Definitely."
The lower walkway is far busier, buzzing with excitement and utter ignorance of how momentous this is for the grey hedgehog who nervously walks among them. His boots thud against the stone, heavy and grounded, alongside the quiet but sharp clicks of Shadow's hover-skates.
"So, uh. You said you enjoy cooking, right?"
Shadow smirks and stares, eyes dancing, "You're asking questions again."
Silver falters, "Well. Yes?"
"You're nervous."
"Okay, maybe I do ask questions when I'm nervous—!"
"Then I do make you nervous," Shadow side-steps a hurrying passer-by; he's still smirking, still staring, "But it's not because you're scared."
Defiantly, the time traveller whips his head in the opposite direction, furiously fighting a blush, and clams up. He misses Shadow's triumphant nod and pleased grin.
"Have things been as you expected?"
Hearing the nonchalance of the question, Silver sends a light-hearted frown in Shadow's direction, "So now you're asking the questions?"
He receives a raised eyebrow in response.
"You mean here, right? In this time?" Silver dumps his empty packaging in a nearby bin and pulls on the hem of his glove, "You know, I wasn't entirely sure what I was expecting. It's definitely a different world to mine, but… I don't know. There's something so hopeful about it. When times are tough, everyone just bands together."
"Not everyone is like that," Shadow counterargues,
"But we've been lucky enough to meet people who are. Other than Blaze, who's not even from the same dimension, there's no-one in my world like that."
"You are."
Genuinely surprised, Silver looks at him in earnest, "You think so?"
"I do. I've seen it for myself."
They've stopped in the centre of the sidewalk, transfixed by each other. A few people dodge past them, disgruntled by the obstruction, but no-one dares to protest and interrupt them.
Shadow breaks the stare first, opting to shuffle his foot and watch it trail across the flagstone, "It appears the conversation has become heavy again."
"This is why I should ask the questions," Silver grins, feeling brave, for the first time.
And, for the first time, Shadow openly laughs.
With an underlying film of guilt, Silver's heart saddens as the motorbike purrs to a halt and he's obliged to unwind his arms from around Shadow's waist.
"It's honestly no trouble."
"Shadow, seriously. It's fine. I can make my own way back to the Workshop," The grey hedgehog arches his leg over the seat and hops down onto the pavement, starting to get the hang of the movement. He takes a step forward, leaving Shadow some room to do the same, and affectionately looks up at the buzzing neon-red sign for Club Rouge. The 'R' is now blinking, on and off, intermittently, "Besides, Mystic Ruins is completely out of your way. Club Rouge is a halfway point."
"At least come inside."
Silver spins and fights the temptation to check Shadow out, as he's leaning with one elbow resting against Dark Rider, sinfully attractive and inviting, "I'm not entirely sure that clubbing is my thing."
"Nor is it mine," Shadow pushes off and straightens, strolling towards the club's locked side-entrance, "I was talking about the apartment."
Silver freezes. The apartment... as in his apartment. Shadow is asking him to come up to his apartment. Even without the date, that's pretty fantastic and Silver is kind of dancing inside. But with the date... that's supposed to mean something, isn't it? Amy would know.
By this time, Shadow has unlocked the door — marked out by the "STAFF ONLY" sign bolted above — and is standing on the step, half in, half out.
He locks eyes with Silver and calmly says, "It's just an offer. You don't have to, if you don't want to."
But, oh, does he want to.
"I'd like that."
Shadow smiles and tips the door open wider, as Silver heads towards him.
He steps inside and it's as if he's been sucked into another dimension.
Hundreds of people are sweating, swaying and staggering. A conglomeration of bodies heave to the bass-line, clustering close to the speakers and spreading out over the light-up squares of the dancefloor in Club Rouge. Silver raises his eyebrows at the deafening volume accompanied by the whispering shouts of those who are singing along. More people line the sides of the room, clutching drinks — which are either bog-standard beer or elaborate neon cocktails — and some are busily distracted as they lock lips with one another. The place is teeming and Silver has never seen so much energy gathered in one place.
Shadow brushes against him, as he leans in, and raises his voice over the music, "We should let Rouge know that we're here."
Silver longingly gazes at him, as the Ultimate Life Form glances over his shoulder. The overhead UV lights are rapidly flickering from colour to colour amidst the moving red laser-pointers. Stunned, Silver watches as Shadow changes from duck-egg blue to lime green to blood orange to lemon yellow.
"Okay! Lead the way!" Silver yells back, only just making himself heard. Shadow nods and pivots, approaching the bar which stretches along the entire length of the back wall. Silver hurries after him, briefly distracted by the sticky feel of the floor, when he lifts his boots up to walk.
The bar is the busiest area by far. Youths squish together in their groups, shouting out various orders at slightly unravelled bartenders, who instantly spring to life when they start grabbing glasses and darting about, collecting various bottles and instruments to concoct the drinks. Somehow, Shadow manages to exert himself right into the fray of the huddle, separating a mildly disgruntled group of friends, and rests his elbows on the wooden surface of the bar. Silver quickly joins his side when he spots an opening.
Rouge is behind the counter, shaking a metal container with furious vigour, and gripping a twenty-dollar bill between her teeth. She empties the contents of the cylinder into a small glass, delicately adds a few ice cubes and positions a bright-pink umbrella at the side, before sliding the drink down the bar and plucking ten dollars out of the customer's hand. She's so practiced and smooth that Silver is in awe of her fluidity.
The ivory bat spins in place, opens the till and stuffs the cash into the drawer, closing it just as swiftly. When she turns back, her eyes fall on Shadow and Silver and she lights up, "Oh! I didn't expect to see you boys here. How was the 'not-a-date-because-Shadow's-trying-to-defend-Silver's-honour-but-I-totally-know-it-was-a-date' date?"
Shadow determinedly stares at the multi-coloured lights on the ceiling and Silver loudly laughs.
"It was really good," He says, utterly sincere, and when he moves to look at Shadow, the ebony hedgehog is staring back, surprised. Pleased.
Rouge is fondly smirking.
Shadow clears his throat, "Silver wanted to see the club."
"Of course he did! It's the talk of the town," Rouge throws her arm out in a grand sweep, lightly bowing, "Welcome to my den of iniquity, Silver!"
He grins, "It looks incredible! I can see why it's popular!"
"Why thank you, honey."
"Rouge," Shadow pauses, considering his words, "We're going up to the flat."
"Go ahead. I'm stuck here until four, breaking in the newbie 'tenders, so you'll have the place to yourselves."
The Ultimate Life Form nods his gratitude and steps back from the bar, tilting his head in Silver's direction, mutely asking him to follow. Silver smiles at Rouge and starts to turn, but she reaches over and grabs his arm before he has fully left.
Her lips are a breath's distance from his ear, "Be gentle. He's fragile, despite the bravado. Then again, I think that's what drew you to him in the first place."
Then she releases his arm, pushes him in Shadow's direction and focuses on hydrating the braying masses.
Rouge and Shadow's apartment is only two floors above the club, in the elevator, but Silver is sure that the ride takes at least a lifetime.
The metallic doors laboriously heave open and Shadow strides out before they've even slid all the way back. Silver tentatively steps out and follows him, wondering what has brought on this awkward tension, after such an engaging evening of flowing conversation.
When Silver reaches his side, the Ultimate Life Form is stiffly rattling a key in the lock of a polished, white, front door. It takes two forceful twists and a rough shove for the door to give way and swing open. Shadow walks in, with his mind irrevocably fixed on something, judging by the frantic speed of his movements.
Silver wanders inside and shuts the door behind him. When he turns back, he notices that the layout of the flat isn't too dissimilar to the Workshop, oddly enough. Without a hallway, the front door opens into a huge room: kitchen worktops and appliances are arranged against the right-hand wall, before the area merges into a living room of a sleek, black leather couch reclining in front of a wall-mounted TV. The apartment is minimalist, as the room's focus is shared between the floor-to-ceiling cedar bookcase in one corner, and the wall-sized window panels which sit opposite. Thick, midnight-blue curtains are partially drawn over the glass, muffling the headlights of the cars outside.
He also spots three doors which lead off from the main room — two on either side of the TV, one by the kitchen — all equally identical, apart from the first, which is slightly ajar. Silver presumes that they must lead to Shadow's bedroom, Rouge's bedroom and the bathroom.
The whole place is so inexplicably them.
"You have a really nice apartment," Silver compliments, still admiring the lustrous aesthetic of the room, with its muted brown tones, even in the lights-off-darkness. Oddly, he's itching to scan the spines on the bookcase, to work out which books Shadow spends hours pouring over, which books he's enraptured by, which books he dislikes and actually belong to Rouge.
The flat is another piece of the perplexing puzzle that is Shadow, which Silver has yet to put together.
"Thank you. Rouge is responsible for the décor," Shadow moves towards the sink and gets himself a glass of water. He holds up another glass in Silver's direction, but the grey hedgehog shakes his head at the offer and Shadow just demurely takes a sip.
The uncomfortable silence crawls back in.
He asked me to come up, Silver reminds himself, shifting his weight as he glances at the front door. And there's no-where I'd rather be, right now. But I'm not entirely sure why I'm here.
"Did you mean it?"
He frowns. Shadow is angled away from him, palms resting flat against the kitchen worktop, biceps tense and fraught. Silver can't help but be captivated by the long, smooth stretch of his spine. Shadow is completely still, as Silver asks, "Mean what?"
"That you want to know the bad bits."
Silver is shocked, "You've really been thinking about that, all this time…?"
"Did you mean it?"
"…Yes. I do mean it."
"You have no idea what you're letting yourself in for," Shadow leans back and pushes off the counter, head tipped across his shoulder, eyes fixed on Silver. He slowly steps closer, almost drunkenly, but Silver knows that he hasn't drunk a drop of alcohol, "There's so much you don't know. There are no bits, Silver — it's all bad."
He's surprisingly calm, despite the furious hiss of Shadow's words. They're standing face to face now; close, but still inching closer. Silver peers into those crimson eyes and is surprised to see swathes of pain engulfing the anger, "I mean it. I want to know you."
"Then you're asking for trouble," The scowl deepens, "Or you're a fool."
Silver's heart is booming, "Neither of those are anything new."
Shadow kisses him.
There's a long throb of whoa, before Silver finds himself naturally responding, opening up, losing himself, kissing back. Soon, he's not aware of anything but sensation: the strong pulsing of their lips and the burning warmth between them. Silver's brain has flat-lined.
Shadow pulls back. Silver's lips are moulded in his shape and they quiver at the loss of heat.
They stare at each other, amazed by themselves.
Clearing his throat, Shadow mumbles, "I'm sorry, that was an inappropriate assumption, I—"
Silver surges forward and brings their mouths together again.
Now there's an urgency in their kissing, as if the prospect has always been forbidden and — at last — they've finally been granted one moment of release. Shadow cups Silver's wrist, leading him further forward into the apartment, and the time traveller follows without another thought, curling his free hand around the column of Shadow's neck.
Their calves brush together as they walk. A moan hitches in Silver's throat and Shadow must feel it, because he hums in response, gruff and unrestrained. Their skin is on fire as they scramble to commit everything to memory: the sound of lips and tongues amid the darkness of the room. They're only able to believe that this is real by fervently running their hands across the plains and dips of the other's figure.
The backs of Silver's thighs suddenly smack into something sturdy and soft, forcing a small grunt from his mouth. Shadow and Silver part and glance down, huffing a shared laugh at the sight of the couch behind them — all the while tracing the lines of their shoulders, cupping the bends of their elbows, stroking the lengths of their forearms.
"The microwave is also here," Shadow captures his lips for only a moment, teasingly, "If you want to see it."
"I think I'm okay here, thanks," Silver grins through the next kiss, fully knowing that Shadow can feel the shape of it.
They're walking backwards again, still mesmerised in their exploration of each other, and Shadow's shoulder thuds against an open door, pushing it wider until they stumble into the room.
Shadow kicks the door closed with his shoe, as he lightly tugs on Silver's lower lip with his teeth. Silver smoulders in red-hot pleasure.
They collapse on the bed together, still entwined and entranced.
"You don't know how long—" Silver babbles out, in one breath, as Shadow breaks away to carefully kneel above him. As soon as the other is settled, Silver scrambles to pull them back together again.
Everything is on fire and it is glorious.
"Every damn time I saw you," Smoothing his hand along the entire stretch of Silver's arm, Shadow gently manoeuvres and holds the arm in place above Silver's head, resting it against the pillow. With improved access, he begins to suck kisses into the bolt of Silver's jaw, working his way down to the softness of his neck, the beating jugular, the sharp point of his collarbone, "It's been excruciating."
Silver is in the process of losing his mind, panting hot breaths, "Hypocrite."
Shadow laughs, sliding down, nuzzling his face into Silver's chest, tapping a melody on the xylophone of his ribs, dragging his lips to his stomach. Silver arches his back in bliss, stretching off the mattress and Shadow swiftly straddles him in order to keep him grounded.
It's only as Shadow presses a kiss to the jut of his hip that Silver admits, "I want you. I've always wanted you."
Shadow pauses in his ministrations. A cold burst of fear shoots through Silver's blood-stream.
But then, painfully slow, Shadow slinks up the entire length of his body and hovers over Silver's lips, eyes ablaze and bottomless as they soak up the admiration and nerves which are blaring from the golden eyes beneath.
"I'm here."