"You told her?!"
Rouge glared at her roommate, not appreciating his tone with her. "Well if you would've man up and told her yourself I wouldn't have had to."
"It wasn't in your place to do so!"
"You were dumb enough to kiss her!"
"You told me to!"
"No! I said you had to let her kiss you. I never said for you to kiss her. That was your biggest mistake! Just like your promises, kisses are sacred! You don't just go throwing them around!"
"Well I'm sorry! I didn't know! I was never taught about this stuff, and now I'm paying the price for it!"
"Damn right you're paying the price for it. And whatever price you get you deserve!"
"No. No Rouge, you don't understand."
"What? What don't I understand this time?"
Shadow was silent, hanging his head down to the floor, his ears down a bit and a blush on his cheeks. Rouge watched him, curious of why he was so silent all of a sudden. Her eyes widened as she suddenly got the idea. "Oh my gosh, you're in love with her… Like, actually in love with her."
"It wasn't planned, it just… happened."
"When did you figure it out?"
"... Earlier when she confronted me… When she said she never wanted to see me again."
"Crap." Rouge sighed, flopping down onto the couch and rubbing her temples in exasperation. "... If you really love her. Truly love her, you gotta make this right."
"I know, but how? She doesn't want to see me anymore."
"You ignore that for a moment and think. Think of what she would really appreciate. Think of what she would love. What do you think will convince her that you are serious about your feelings?"
Shadow hung his head and frowned in thought. What would Star love from him? What was the one thing she loved the most? What would she want? His eyes widened as he was suddenly struck with an idea.
"I know what to do."
…
Later that same night, Star sniffled softly as she laid in her bed, her head laying against the tearstained pillow. Her eyes were red and puffy, her face was flushed with tears. She hadn't stopped crying since her break up with Shadow.
How could she be so stupid?!
How could she had possibly thought that her brother's rival would want anything to do with her? Especially when she looked identical to the very thing he hated? It was ridiculous and poor judgment on her part.
Sonic was right. She should've stayed away. He had warned her that Shadow would break her heart and yet she still chased after the black and red hedgehog.
Rouge had warned her too at the very start that it might not be possible between them because of her identity, but she didn't want to believe that Shadow could be so shallow.
"Stupid black Faker." Star sniffed, trying to blame the one responsible for her heartache other than herself, but she knew it wasn't all his fault. She was partly to blame as well. Just like her brother had mentioned, she fell in love way too easily.
"Guess I have some new inspiration for some new songs." The light blue hedgehog sighed, slamming her face against the pillow.
Sonic was livid when she had told him. She had to tell him because he had seen the tears in her eyes when she came home. She thought he was going to say the words. The four words that she hated to hear the most. "I told you so." But he didn't. She knew he wanted to, because he did tell her so, but instead he was the comforting and supportive little brother that she always knew and loved.
Sonic had held her in his arms. Stroked her quills and rocked her back and forth like he used to do when they were kids and she would be upset. He had promised that Shadow wasn't going to get away with breaking her heart. That he was personally going to hunt him down and make sure the ebony hedgehog wished he had never even met the hedgehog twins. It made her laugh a little at his constant overprotectiveness. At least she knew that he would never abandon her. She knew he would never betray her, unlike some men.
Star sighed again and closed her eyes, hoping to just get some sleep and have the whole thing blow over the next morning. Tomorrow she would go to the recording studio and think of yet another song about yet another heartbreak.
At least she knew her career was never gonna flop like her relationships.
Suddenly, her ear twitched when she heard a peculiar sound. She sat up and listened, trying to get a better idea of what it was. It sounded like guitar strumming… coming from outside her balcony.
Curious, Star got out of bed and went up to the balcony, opening the doors and walking up to the rail. She grabbed on and looked down, a gasp being pulled from her chest at the sight before her.
Shadow the Hedgehog.
He was downstairs on the ground level, strumming a soft melody from the guitar in his hands. His eyes were closed, focused on the music. His playing was so beautiful, it almost sounded like he was trying to serenade her, but that couldn't be possible, right?
"What are you doing here, Shadow?" Star asked him suspiciously with a harsh tone. "I told you I didn't want to see you again!"
Shadow didn't flinch. Didn't even look up. He just continued to play, blocking the world out.
Star huffed. She was in no mood for his games. She was about to go back inside and get her brother… when all of a sudden, Shadow started to sing.
"I remember what you wore on the first day. You came into my life and I thought, hey you know this could be something."
Star's eyes widened. Was he singing to her? About her?!
"Cause everything you do and words you say. You know that it all takes my breath away. And now I'm left with nothing."
He suddenly opened his eyes and looked up at her, locking his ruby orbs with her emerald ones. As Star looked into those eyes another gasp was pulled from her. She could see it. The sadness and regret in his eyes for hurting her.
This was his way of apologizing to her. The only and best way he knew how to do so. And it was his way of letting her know that he was willing to give them a chance. Just because she looked like Sonic doesn't mean that she is Sonic.
She was quite the opposite, actually.
Star felt so touched, a few tears of joy came to her eyes. She was so happy, she couldn't stop herself from singing along.
"So maybe it's true. That I can't live without you. And maybe two is better than one. But there's so much time. To figure out the rest of my life. And you've already got me coming undone. And I'm thinking two is better than one."
Star laughed a bit before she suddenly jumped over the rail of her balcony and started climbing down the lattice. "I remember every look upon your face."
Shadow smiled and started to approach her. "The way you roll your eyes, the way you taste. You make it hard for breathing."
Star giggled and jumped down to the ground, both continuing to sing as they walked towards each other.
"Cause when I close my eyes and drift away. I think of you and everything's okay. I'm finally now believing."
Standing in front of each other now, Shadow gently set the guitar down on the grass before suddenly taking Star's hands into his own, gently leading her into a slow waltz as they continued to sing. "That maybe it's true. That I can't live without you. And maybe two is better than one. But there's so much time. To figure out the rest of my life. And you've already got me coming undone. And I'm thinking two is better than one."
As Star held onto the note, Shadow gently led her through the garden, their dance as beautiful as the stars in the sky. The moon reflected down upon them like a spotlight, brightening their newfound growing love for each other for all invisible eyes to see.
Suddenly, Shadow gently dipped Star close to the grass, holding onto her with one arm as he gazed into her beautiful green eyes, using his other hand to gently stroke her cheek. "I remember what you wore on the first day. You came into my life and I thought, hey."
Star smiled and purred, enjoying the affection before she was suddenly pulled up again, being pulled closer to the black and red hedgehog as they continued to waltz. "Maybe it's true. That I can't live without you. And maybe two is better than one. But there's so much time. To figure out the rest of my life. And you've already got me coming undone. And I'm thinking, ooh, I can't live without you. 'Cause, baby, two is better than one. There's so much time. To figure out the rest of my life. But I've figured out with all that's said and done. Two is better than one. Two is better than one."
As the two sang the last note together, they stared deeply into each other's eyes. Butterflies filled their tummies, and their hearts pulled for each other.
Suddenly, the unexpected happened, and Shadow made the first move. He closed his eyes and placed his lips on top of Star's, capturing her in a gentle kiss. Star's eyes widened in surprise before she slowly closed them and kissed back, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.
Her mind was having a race right now, excitement filling her veins with adrenaline.
No other guy that she had dated before had ever sung a song with her before. They've always wanted to hear her sing, but every time she asked if they would sing with her, they declined, saying they weren't any good. As she had told Shadow, the last guy she was with wouldn't even sing with her when she volunteered at church.
Shadow… he had made the first move. He offered to play the guitar at the church event with the kids. He had started to sing with her, unprompted, at said event. He had tracked her down at the Thorndyke mansion and initiated a lovely duet with a song of his own.
That was more than Star could ever say about the other guys in her life.
And the kiss… it finally felt like a real kiss.
It was at this moment she knew that she had finally found her duet. And it was with Shadow the Hedgehog.
… Sonic was gonna be pissed.
After a few seconds, Shadow finally pulled away from the kiss, but he continued to stare into Star's eyes. It had finally happened. He had kissed the girl in front of him… and had finally felt something. He felt warm and happy. It was like a spark of electricity had shocked his heart, but it felt nice. He was almost sad that he had to pull away to speak to her. "Star… I am so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I just... I know it's a weak, lame, and stupid excuse but... you just look so much like your brother and... I just felt weird about it."
"But I'm not my brother." Star frowned at him.
"I know... I know that now and... I wanna make it up to you... and give this a shot... Give US a shot. A REAL shot."
Star sighed and stepped away, turning her back to him as she hugged herself a bit with her ears down in guilt. "I don't know... my brother doesn't think we should be together… Plus he's really pissed off at you and pretty much wants to kill you because I told him what happened."
Shadow frowned and approached her, placing a hand on her shoulder and making her turn back around to face him. "And what do YOU think? Do you think he's right? That we shouldn't be together?"
Star looked down, thinking for a moment. "I... love my brother with all my heart. He's the light of my life. The very reason why I sing. When we were kids, we looked out for each other." She chuckled with a shake of her head. "He was always so protective of me... Overprotective actually, even though I'm the older twin." She sighed. "I'll always be grateful but... I'm an adult now. I can make my own choices and take care of myself... and he needs to learn and understand that." She frowned and looked up at Shadow, her eyes burning with determination. "I think I can be with whoever I want to be with... and I want to be with you."
Shadow smiled and stroked her quills. "I was hoping you would say that." And he kissed her again.
Little did they know that someone was watching them the entire time.