Echoing footsteps bounced a steady melody off the stone walls of a cave. A pair of silver heels clicked below their light-footed owner, louder from their shape than the muffled clunks of heavier skates just a few yards behind. It was Rouge the Bat leading a walk through a rocky tunnel, her arms occupied by two bags filled with jewels; her body language spirited as wide hips swayed with every step and ivory curls bounced above her shoulders. Shadow the Hedgehog trailed her backside at a casual pace, looking ahead at the opening where they'd entered the cave, and at the grassy plains that awaited their return from a treasure hunt.
Rouge's voice echoed when she spoke, "You know, I could use some help organizing all these gems. How about you come over after my club closes and we can spend some time getting them sorted? It'll be relaxing."
Shadow thought about her proposal, his interest in organizing jewels less than a whisper; but quiet time spent with his teammate was becoming more and more enjoyable. He felt a warm glimmer in his chest at the idea.
"Sure," he answered, glancing over her form as she gleefully walked ahead.
His eyes left her when falling pebbles caught his attention – at the mouth of the cave, they tumbled from above. When a larger rock fell to the ground, he got a bad feeling, and quickened his pace. Rouge noticed it too, speeding up as well.
"Rocks falling," she said over her shoulder. "Not a good sign!"
Then they heard the rumble of stone shifting along the earth. There were boulders piled above the entrance of the cavern, but they'd been stagnant when the pair first went in. Now it seemed they were loosened from their rest and were rolling down the slope; they would fall off the cave's roof at any moment. Shadow looked up and saw the rounded edge of a boulder creeping into view past the stone opening. They wouldn't make it if he didn't speed ahead.
So, the hedgehog broke into a sprint, and as Rouge was nearing the exit – the sliding rock on a clear path to flatten her – Shadow positioned both hands to grab her lower back, lifting the bat enough to shove her more quickly out of the cave. He jumped ahead after her, but making sure his partner got out first had slowed him down. As he was lunging forward, the boulder crashed down onto his legs, pinning Shadow under its weight.
"Aghh!" he shouted, gritting his teeth and looking back at the big round stone that immobilized him.
Rouge had stumbled onto the grass after Shadow's push, dropping the bags of jewels and scattering them across the ground. She was standing up when she heard the crash behind her, and Shadow's subsequent scream made her turn around in a panic.
"Shadow!" she yelled, and ran to his side, even as smaller boulders rolled off the hill to the left and right.
Shock and concern covered her face as she switched her focus from the speedster to the stone. She slipped both hands beneath it and groaned as she tried to lift it up. Shadow was grunting under his breath, but the pain wasn't so great as to make him scream again.
"Damnit!" Rouge blurted with a huff, backing away from the rock. "I'll have to cut this thing into smaller chunks. Cover your head in case pieces go flying!"
He did, draping one arm above him while she reeled back. The jewel hunter spun into a tornado of swift, powerful kicks strong and sharp enough to crack the boulder apart. Once it was in more manageable segments, she rushed to throw the battered chunks off of Shadow's body.
He moved his legs with little effort, albeit slowly as an ache permeated his muscles; then he let out a sigh. "It's a good thing I'm so resilient. Otherwise, that could've caused permanent damage. We should be more careful."
He didn't bring up the worst of permanent damage that could've been done – damage to Rouge, if she'd been the one crushed. Considering the injury to his legs only meant he would have to take it easy for a few days, he felt the responsibility to take hits like that, especially if it was in Rouge's place.
"Well, I think I've got enough jewels to keep me satisfied a while," said the lady, wrapping her hands around his figure to help him stand. "So, we can take a good long break from treasure hunting."
Shadow rested one arm in the crook of her neck, letting Rouge hold him up while he felt out the remaining strength of his legs. He was fine enough to walk with her assistance, and he helped her to gather the gems back into their bags before they set a course for home. As they crossed the plains, the spy looked back at the cave they were leaving behind, then let out a soothing breath and offered Shadow an uneven smile.
"Nice job pushing me out of there. Even if it meant I got grass stains all over me. Your heroism really comes out sometimes."
"Hm, yeah," he mumbled. "Well, I had to if I wanted us to actually escape."
"Right." Her voice had a playful tinge, trying to lighten the mood and maybe distract him from his injury. "Still! That's our dynamic, isn't it? You save me, I save you."
"I suppose so. Although, if we could cut down on needing to save each other, that would be nice. Risking our lives should be a rarity, not a pastime."
"Okay, fair enough. But, you haven't thanked me yet for helping you out back there."
Shadow looked into her eyes, then cast his gaze forward again. "Thanks. Just remember this the next time you want to go excavating."
Rouge scoffed. "That's what you focus on? You know, you could've complimented me on my skill in freeing you. Without me, you would've been trapped under that rock forever!"
"Never mind that without you, I wouldn't have been there at all." He flashed a smirk when she pouted at him. "But I suppose you evened the score – if I'm being generous."
Rouge's teal eyes rolled and her voice lost its charming quality. "Alright, Shad. I carved up that boulder expertly, but you still can't just give me a compliment after all this time, can you?"
The colder tone she spoke with forced the realization on him that he'd offended her. His natural frown deepened into a glower and he tried to recover by responding with, "Yes I can. You did help me out back there. You know I respect you for that, right?"
He caught her eyes quickly rolling again, the irritated woman clearly not impressed by his attempt to salvage goodwill from the flippant banter that'd turned his quip into an insult. She didn't reply further, and their conversation trailed off into nothingness following his claim. They walked through the plains, Rouge helping him to stay upright while simultaneously managing to lug her bags of precious jewels.
At the wordless acknowledgement that he'd misspoken at some point, Shadow let the silence be, in turn refusing to prod at the annoyance she was carrying. He hadn't realized that neglecting to indulge her desire for a compliment would genuinely upset her; his past attempts at teasing had been more successful. But maybe he was teasing her too much lately, falling behind on showing true appreciation for her talents. And maybe that was catching up with him now.
The wounded hedgehog was brought to Club Rouge, where his partner would let him rest even if she was a bit miffed at him. Before they went inside the bustling business, Shadow looked into her eyes earnestly and spoke a thought he'd been mulling over the whole way back.
"Thank you for carrying my weight." He wanted to add more, but his pride was nudging in, getting in the way of putting proper emphasis behind his thanks. He glanced down at the bags of gems in Rouge's grasp and raised a hand towards them. "I can bring these in, if you want; lighten your load after our long walk."
The bat turned her body, pulling the shiny haul away from his reaching fingers, and one brow curved downwards. Thankfully, her tone was more agreeable than he expected when she said, "You don't have to do that! It's a gentlemanly gesture, but I'll carry the babies myself."
Her eyes were friendly, but the smile she gave him was subtle and trepidatious – full of tension that still signaled she wasn't fully over her frustration with him. He relented, though, not wanting to push her, and instead tried to avoid leaning as much of his weight on her while she walked through Club Rouge. On the second floor, they entered the private lounge, where the jewel hunter placed the bags on a table and flew up to the ceiling to open her attic door.
"You can relax in my loft for now," she said, pushing a wooden slab inward to open a rectangular entryway. "Stay as long as you need to heal those legs. The spare bed is still set up."
Gazing up at her, Shadow felt a flutter in his stomach. Something about the way she offered her personal space so casually made his heart warm. It spoke to the closeness of their relationship, and a wave of graciousness passed over him at the fact that she had kept her spare bed available; as if she anticipated him needing it again soon. It was nice to have an open bed where he was always welcome, something Shadow was focusing on more now that he fixated on Rouge's kindness. She was never so generous with anyone else.
"I don't have to rest right now," he claimed, then gestured at the gems when she looked down at him. "I can still help you sort these."
A little chuckle left her lips and she descended to the floor. "Don't worry about that, hun. I'll handle it." She stepped behind him and hooked her arms under his, lifting her friend off the ground before he could protest.
"You just lie down and take a minute for yourself," she told him, bringing him into her loft space. She set him down and offered a lingering gaze, as if considering the conversation they should be having. But Shadow didn't know quite how to respond, and when he said nothing, she left the attic, closing the heavy hatch behind her.
It was after she was gone that Shadow reflected on his actions – as well as his inaction – and considered the way he'd spoken to her outside the cave. Sitting on the spare bed, he thought back to the roll of her eyes, the tense pull of her lips, and the annoyance in her voice. He started to feel bad about what he'd said, and began regretting that he'd chosen to banter with her instead of donating the complimentary words she deserved. He sorted through his thoughts to admit to himself that there were too many things being left unsaid. And he decided he needed to make it up to her somehow, in a deeply genuine way.
The next day met Rouge with a strange loneliness. When she woke up, she looked to the bed Shadow was assumed to still be sleeping in, only to see it empty. It was made up, the blanket laying neatly on top, as if he had gotten up much earlier than her and tidied it before leaving. Rouge nibbled uneasily on her bare lip at what it meant: either Shadow would be gone from the club, having walked out without saying goodbye; or he would still be around, and she would have to face him.
Rouge disliked both ideas, not wanting her partner to avoid her, but also feeling a linger of annoyance. Usually, the hedgehog's inability to toss a compliment her way didn't bother her. She knew he was no-nonsense most of the time – closed off. But there were also times when she thought he was letting her in, and hiding less from the connection they had. She didn't like being reminded that there still might be a long way to go in that regard.
She left her bed and dressed herself up for the day, then decided she needed a distraction from the off-feeling the morning had brought her. She wouldn't go looking for Shadow; if he was still there, they would cross paths at some point. Instead, she turned her musings to the stash of jewels she had yet to finish sorting. If there was one thing that could take her mind off of her uncomfortable emotions, it was precious gemstones.
But when she left her loft space, she found her attention unintentionally drawn as she descended elegantly into her private lounge. There was something resting on the indigo loveseat – a white envelope with a heart-shaped splotch of red ink stamped on its fold. Bewildered, Rouge picked up the flimsy paper and felt the beat in her chest quicken.
The bat figured it must be from Shadow if it was in her personal lounge, though she couldn't pinpoint why there would be a heart on it if he had left it for her. The envelope alone would do; would be standard for someone as business-oriented as him. She didn't want to think it might be a sign of something deep or emotional – something she would want from him – because she didn't want to disappoint herself. The stamp could mean nothing at all.
She hesitated to open the envelope, at first unsure if she wanted to deal with the contents inside. But, she decided she might as well get it over with, and so unstuck the fold of the envelope, opening it to pull a letter from the slit. With stiff posture and a cautious expression on her face, she began reading the words that boasted Shadow's bland, neat handwriting.
Rouge,
Forgive me for not being able to say this in person, although I certainly wanted to. Yesterday, I failed to acknowledge your skill through a lack of grace in putting my thoughts into words. So I'm writing them down, with time to think, and the conviction that this is what I really want to say. This might not sound like me, but know that my heart is more articulate than my mouth.
Her shoulders relaxed a bit with the realization that Shadow probably wrote the letter to apologize, and maybe even make up for the praise he failed to give her before. Her eyebrows smoothened as she continued reading.
Saying I respect you wasn't a good enough compliment. It's more than that – I adore you. You're the best company I've ever had, and I feel a true friend in you. Stronger than that, I feel a connection between us that I believe could only be shared by fate-bound souls. It may sound dramatic, but it's how I really feel about you.
A smile cracked across her muzzle. It wasn't an "I'm sorry" type of apology, but she knew this acknowledgement of his mistake held the same message. Rouge had always felt her sincerest bond was with Shadow, so it meant everything to her that he was admitting it as well. It wasn't dramatic; it was sweet, and thoughtful… even a bit romantic. And as she kept scanning shimmering teal eyes across the letter, she found herself more and more surprised by the words the Ultimate Lifeform had written himself.
We were meant to be in each other's lives. I wouldn't have anyone else in this world as my partner above you. And I'd even go as far as to say I love you. Though, understand I may never be able to say it to your face. Just know through this letter that it's true.
I love you
- Shadow
Widened with awe, her eyes lingered on the closing sentiment. Three sweet words hanging above the mark of her sender; the name that was signed by hand with a bit more character than the rest of the letter. Together, they suggested a permanent change to the things Rouge knew about Shadow. His deeper truths were always a mystery, but she never expected this to be one of them.
'I love you'?
She'd never heard him say it to anyone or anything. She couldn't remember if the word 'love' had ever left his lips at all. Of course, it still wasn't being said – it was written, sitting printed clear as day on a sheet of paper addressed to her. Endeared by his heartfelt words, Rouge hugged the letter to her chest, forgiving his silly mistake and feeling she'd been a bit petty about it.
She forgot at times that Shadow still had trouble expressing himself, and it reminded her that he'd come a long way already. Clearly he thought highly of her, even if he couldn't verbalize it as well. And she cherished the explanation, the penned delve into her partner's emotions; his beliefs; his standing with her. His soul was deeper than she knew. It was beautiful. He was beautiful – poetic.
'I love you'
He'd never be able to say it to her face. She expected that. And she accepted it so readily because she didn't know how she would react if he ever did admit it out loud. It was a surprising but welcome confession, one she couldn't help but blush at when she considered the romantic undertones of the letter and the red heart stamped on its envelope. It brought out a realization within herself. She loved him too, in a way more than mere friendship could convey; in the way that made her heart flutter at the thought of him.
She was glad he seemed to have taken his leave, not sure if she could handle looking Shadow in the eyes after reading such a vulnerable message. It also gave her time – and privacy – to mull over his words some more, and absorb the plain but pretty pen strokes into her memory as a new step being taken for their relationship. Shadow had to know those three words couldn't be taken back. And they were written in permanent ink. He meant it.
Rouge held out the paper again, her smile so naturally wide that she couldn't suppress it even if she wanted to. In the quiet luxury of her private lounge, she sat on the loveseat to read Shadow's letter again, blissfully consuming the sentimental heft of his tender admission a second time.