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dracarialove · 1 month

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📄 F it, I'm posting my finished fics here, too 📄

*Check the 'rouge's heart' tag if you haven't read previous chapters

[Chapter 5: Violence]

Blaze was clipping up her hair in her signature ponytail when the doorbell rang; before she could call out to Silver, he was already telling her he would answer it. The white hedgehog opened the door and greeted Rouge, inviting her inside.

"Lookin' sharp," she said, pointing to the teal blazer and black bowtie he was wearing.

Silver tightened his tie and smiled. "Thanks. Blaze should be out in a minute."

They chatted briefly until the lavender cat walked into the room, her slim figure presented in a knee-length magenta dress with a single ruffled strap crossing over to one shoulder. Red strappy heels covered her feet, and she had applied a nude gloss to her lips.

"Wow, Blaze!" Rouge exclaimed, impressed. "I've never seen you so stylish."

The princess shot her a sly look as she slipped one gloved hand around Silver's arm. "It's not often that I get dressed up. Besides, we're not all like you, hoarding outfits for every occasion!"

The bat rolled her eyes and swatted the air, grinning as she turned back toward the door. "You guys ready to go?"

The couple followed, Silver grabbing his keys. "Let's hit the town!"

***

Shadow's stint at the coffee shop was almost over, the grumpy hedgehog having worked a rare morning shift. His mood was sour as he and his coworker blasted through a rush of customers. The hour of repetitive labor left him irritated and ready to clock out, continuously checking the time once his coworker had gone outside for a short break.

He let out an aggravated sigh when another customer walked in only a few minutes after the rush had subsided. The red echidna stomped his way over to the counter, a steamed expression plastered on his face.

Shadow's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the angry patron approach the register. Knuckles stopped at the counter, staring across at Shadow with an unflinching frown stamped across his tan muzzle.

Hyper-aware of the echidna's hostile body language, the neutral hedgehog remained on his guard as he held eye contact, then dully mustered a customer-friendly phrase. "Can I help you?"

"Stay away from Rouge," Knuckles growled.

Shadow responded with the furrowing of his brow and a quiet scoff. "You're looking for trouble, threatening me. I don't care who you are – if you think you can scare me, you're sorely mistaken."

"I'm not trying to scare you, tough guy. I'm warning you. You back off of my woman if you don't want a problem!"

Knuckles raising his voice set off Shadow's growing frustration, the dark hedgehog refusing to accept the disrespect. He replied in a sharp tone, "You're the one who needs to back off. You must have a death wish – or maybe you're just stupid – to challenge someone whose capabilities go beyond your comprehension."

The echidna started to ball his fists, the two men staring each other down. Shadow continued, "Besides, if Rouge is 'your' woman, and she's taken a liking to me, what does that say about your inability to keep her interest?"

He didn't know if it was true, if Rouge really was in a relationship with the angry stranger in front of him; but he hated being talked down to, and had easily pegged Knuckles' weakness when it came to insults. The redhead's frown turned into a toothy scowl as he suddenly raised his fists and swung.

"Chaos Control!"

***

The telekinetic hedgehog was the driver for their night out, all three of them hopping into the silver Camaro that boasted two bright teal stripes down the hood. They headed downtown, soon being surrounded by countless bars, clubs, and restaurants – all brightly-lit with energetic music pouring from the windows. Per Blaze's suggestion, they pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant bar, Silver scooting his car into an empty corner spot.

A human hostess met them when they walked through ruby-colored double doors, then led them past a number of tables filled with a mixture of diners; some human, some Mobian, all enjoying their meals and drinks with their personal groups.

She sat them at a booth near the back, Blaze and Silver sitting on one side while Rouge took the other. The woman handed them menus and offered to provide a pitcher of water for the table, which they graciously accepted before she left them to decide on entrées.

"The salmon sounds good," Blaze commented, drawing Silver's attention to her menu, "but it's kind of expensive."

He skimmed the price and smiled up at her. "Get whatever you want – it's a special occasion. I think I'll have the pasta salad. See anything you like, Rouge?"

"Hmm..." the bat wondered, tapping an index finger against her chin. "Maybe fettuccine, that's always a safe choice. Although, it might be worth it to try the grilled chicken."

Blaze perked up as she closed her menu. "Oh! I can vouch for the chicken. Certainly worth it."

"I'll take your word for it, then," she responded, snapping the menu shut with one hand.

When the waitress came by to place their pitcher of water on the table, the triad put in their orders and each poured a glass for themselves. The uplifting orchestra music playing through the restaurant's speakers coupled with the soft orange lights to set a positive mood for their evening, even as Silver brought up a subject that was still considerably sore.

"Hey, so, I know it just happened," he started, addressing Rouge, "and you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to... but I wanted to ask how you're holding up since the whole debacle with Knuckles."

Blaze lightly slapped his arm, but the strong-willed bat was determined not to let the breakup get to her; if she was going to get over him, she did need to talk about it. No amount of crying alone would help her completely heal from the pain, so Rouge smiled and made eye contact with Silver.

"You know, it still stings – and maybe it will for a while – but I think I'm coming more to terms with it as the days go by."

"I don't think I've ever met another woman as emotionally strong as you," Blaze commented, picking up her water. "Already starting to get over Knuckles, when Amy bursts into tears every time Sonic doesn't answer her calls!"

Silver chuckled and Rouge shrugged. The bat didn't want to mention her new love interest just yet, thinking it would be better to get her frustrations out first. She could save the good news for last and close out their dinner with happier thoughts.

So, while they waited for their food to arrive, she recounted the hurtful events while sprinkling in complaints about both Knuckles and Julie-Su. A cathartic experience, it allowed the treasure hunter to fully enjoy her meal once their waitress came around with the dishes and drinks.

***

Time was frozen, Knuckles' balled fist hovering in the air above the coffee shop counter. His mouth was agape, canines exposed in a display of aggression, fierce eyes alive with rage. The powerful hedgehog walked around the counter, trying to remember if he'd seen the echidna before.

The only instance he could pull forth was a mere possibility; a red BMW speeding down the street as he and Rouge enjoyed warm beverages outside the shop. Although it could've been anyone driving such a vehicle, it was the only conclusion he could draw, as there hadn't been anyone around the first time he'd spoken to her.

"Pathetic," Shadow mumbled to himself as he rolled along his skates to stand behind Knuckles.

As time began to speed back up, the Ultimate Lifeform hooked one foot under the echidna's legs and pushed them out from under him. Knuckles dropped, the forward momentum of his punch slamming his jaw onto the countertop as he fell. He let out an agonized shout as he tumbled to the floor, then clutched his muzzle and grabbed the counter to pull himself up.

Shaking, the echidna's eyes watered and he continued to groan in anguish. A splitting headache shocked through his skull and he remained kneeled on the floor while Shadow stood away from him, his baritone voice cutting through the otherwise quiet coffee shop.

"Get out of here. I don't want to have to expend any more energy on you."

Knuckles turned and glared up at him, attempting to speak but immediately clutching his mouth again before finally standing. Shadow remained on the defensive as the echidna chose to leave, his crimson gaze following the attacker until he was out the door.

He watched Knuckles climb into the same BMW that he had seen the evening before – initially invisible as he had parked in the farthest spot from the entrance – and made a mental note to speak with Rouge about the enraged echidna.

***

As the three of them were eating their respective meals, Blaze prodded Rouge about where she had run off to the previous day. "You said it would be good, so let's hear it."

"I met someone interesting the other day," the bat answered, trying to keep her smile from turning into a grin.

Silver's eyes widened a bit. "Woah, already? I knew you were quick about picking up new guys, but that has to be a record."

"Hey!" she retorted playfully, stabbing a piece of chicken with her fork. "This one doesn't count, okay; probably the first time I wasn't trying to find a lover after a breakup."

The hedgehog argued through a mouthful of pasta salad, "Well, it's extra impressive, then."

He covered his mouth when Blaze made a disgusted face, using his telekinesis to pull a napkin from the dispenser. The lemon-eyed cat turned to Rouge and said, "So, tell us about him."

The bat swallowed her food as a faint pink shade flushed across her cheeks. "He's this hedgehog who works at a coffee shop in town; small place, never been, so I'd never seen him before."

"Right, because you only go to clubs," Blaze interjected, chuckling.

"Exactly," Rouge smirked. Her gestures became more expressive when she started describing Shadow. "Anyway, he's kind of mysterious and moody – has 'grump' written all over his face. But he seems like a quiet guy, sort of reserved. Black hair with bright red highlights, the most striking cherry-red eyes I've ever seen; and handsome like you wouldn't believe!"

"Aw," the princess piped, her expression softening as she placed a hand on Silver's arm. He continued eating and nodded along to Rouge's story.

"I met him right after I dumped Knuckles. Just stopped at a random shop for a cup of tea." She purposely lowered her energy and took a sip from her champagne glass, then chuckled a little. "He made the most awkward small talk while I was sitting there; just had my heart broken, and there was a guy I would've never expected to approach me, talking so calmly that I actually felt like the world was slowing down. He had invited me to go back, so that's where I went after Knuckles picked up his stuff."

"Sounds like a connection to me!" said Blaze, returning to her meal. "Are you going to see him again?"

Rouge couldn't stop herself from grinning while she stabbed another chunk of chicken. "We have a dinner date tomorrow. It would've been tonight, but I already had plans with you two."

"Well, Rouge, you could've gone out with him tonight!" Blaze protested supportively. "We would've completely understood."

The bat shrugged and rolled her eyes in lieu of a response, her mouth full. Silver took the opportunity to cut in with a comment of his own.

"I'm glad things are looking up so quickly for you. You really deserve it, after the shit Knux pulled?" He shook his head. "Man, I'm just glad he got double-dumped."

Blaze laughed, making the hedgehog smile and chuckle as well. Rouge thanked him earnestly, then the three of them finished the last bits of their meals. They decided to order dessert, and the jewel hunter shifted the conversation over to Silver and Blaze. They discussed new developments over tiramisu, talking about the renovations they were making to their home, as well as a trip they were planning.

At the end of the night, Silver brought them home again and made sure Rouge was alright to drive. Her single glass of champagne hadn't impaired her enough to crash, so they said their goodbyes and the bat drove home with the window down. She enjoyed the rushing wind flicking through her hair as the radio played a smooth jazzy beat accompanied by inspirational lyrics; and when she arrived home, she pulled out her phone and quickly deleted every picture of Knuckles from her gallery.

#sonic fanfiction #ship fanfic #rouge's heart #rouge's heart chapter 5 #dracaria fics #shadouge #shadrouge #anti-knuxouge #rouge the bat #shadow the hedgehog #blaze the cat #silver the hedgehog #knuckles the echidna #silvaze #writing

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dracarialove · 5 hours

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📄 F it, I'm posting my finished fics here, too 📄

Hearfelt Holidays

*Check the 'heartfelt holidays' tag if you haven't read chapter 1

[Chapter 5: Haunted Club Night]

Rouge throws a Halloween party at her club and enlists Shadow's help in decorating for a haunting appearance. During the night, they share a moment together on the rooftop of Club Rouge.

A chilly autumn evening compelled downtown citizens to seek warmth in the buildings lining a strip of the darkened street. The tall, bare windows of a bustling night club beamed pink and blue lights into the surrounding darkness while energetic techno music pulsed through the walls.

Groups of patrons roamed the first-floor lobby, playing the casino-themed games and buying drinks; the second story was filled with partiers occupying most of the aqua-tiled dancefloor; and above them, restocking the lounge bar, was Rouge the Bat.

She made idle chatter with the guests that'd come up for food, then excused herself to make a patrol of the building and check in with the staff. Plastered along the walls on every floor were fliers she'd put up to advertise an event the following night – a Halloween party taking place in her very own club.

The bat was full of energy while she talked with the DJ, tapping her foot to the beat and proudly eyeing the expansive crowd that'd gathered to dance.

She was already picturing how her club would look when she changed it up for the event, and kept an eye on the time as the night went on; excited to make a call once some of the patrons took their leave.

When it was well past midnight, the groups began to dissipate, and people steadily left the electric noise of Rouge's business. With the shrinking number of customers came her time to slink off into the small private parlor that housed her own comfort materials.

She walked through the thick purple curtain, fiddling with the communicator on her wrist, and sat herself down on the maroon-colored loveseat. A glossy smirk stuck on her face as she paged one of her contacts through the device, hearing it sputter out a staticky buzz as it connected.

"Come in, Shadow," she said, holding up her wrist. "You can hear me, right?"

Another sputter of static sliced the air and she heard the deep-voiced response she'd wanted: "What is it?"

"Surely, you're not busy right now. I'm requesting your presence at my location."

After a moment of silence, he replied, "I'd guess, by the background noise, that you're at your club. Sounds like the night is in full swing."

She knew what he was getting at – that Club Rouge would be too crowded for his liking, and that he wouldn't be willing to show up. But she quickly shot back, "People are starting to filter out. There's plenty of space for you, so come by and have a little chat with me."

The bat could imagine him rolling his ruby eyes at her request, possibly sighing at her insistence, and the thought made her sly smirk widen. Finally, he responded again through the faint static: "I'm on my way."

***

When Shadow arrived, the business owner escorted him through the lobby – even less occupied with closing time approaching – and invited him into her personal lounge.

She stood near the curtained entrance while he silently took a seat on the cushioned chair in the corner, Shadow stoically staring at her with serious expectancy while crossing his arms.

When she didn't immediately begin her pitch, he said, "Let's get straight to the point – what do you want from me this time?"

"Oh, well, I was just going to ask how your day went," she replied sarcastically, "but since you ask..."

Her gloved hands gravitated to wide hips and her lips pulled into a sly smile again as he briefly rolled his eyes. "Shadow, you know what tomorrow is, right?"

The hedgehog gazed off to the side for a moment, thinking, then answered, "Not particularly. But I'm sure it's something you'll be dragging me into."

"Bingo – oh, you're so smart!" Her playful flattery made him smirk against his will and she continued, "It's Halloween! Never heard of it? If you had, I wouldn't think you'd want to miss it."

"And why's that?"

"Because, it's 100% your style." Her teal eyes scanned quickly down his figure and back up. "It's all dark and scary and haunting... the whole theme is meant to be creepy and mysterious, which is exactly what I need for the party I'm throwing tomorrow night! In celebration of this spooky time, I want you to help me get everything together."

Rouge raised her hands and clasped them together in front of her chest, fluttering her eyelashes a couple of times in a quiet pleading gesture. Her companion scoffed; his smirk still apparent across a tan muzzle.

He teased, "So, I'll be able to plan this party because I'm dark and... creepy?"

"Mysterious," the bat corrected, clenching her hands tighter. "Come on, Shadow, you're perfect for this holiday – I need your input if I'm going to make it the best it can be. Really, you don't give yourself enough credit! I bet there are some great ideas swimming around in that brain of yours, just waiting to be released. Your taste in music, your opinion on décor we could add for extra atmosphere; I'm sure there's things you'll bring up that I wouldn't even think of."

He looked up at her, the woman leaning in his direction and begging with her eyes, and sat thinking about the offer for a few seconds. When she thought she wasn't winning him over, Rouge added, "Plus, your additional speed would seriously help to get everything ready in time. My staff can handle the final steps if you just help me with the big stuff first."

Shadow let out a soft sigh through his nose, casting his red eyes down at the floor and nodding slowly. The consistent curve of his lips made her hopeful, and she beamed when he finally answered, "Alright, I'll lend a hand."

Looking up at her once again, he added, "It may be the one event I enjoy, if it'll really be how you described. But I'll only assist you if I don't have to do any of the hosting."

"Done! I'll take all the social responsibility." The lady's hands unclasped and one dropped to her side, while the other casually pointed at the ceiling. "I'll even give you exclusive access to the rooftop and a nice little setup out there if you want to break off from the party."

Shadow's smirk faded into a more genuine smile at her thoughtful offering. "Sure."

He started to stand up and his teammate blurted, "Oh, thank you, Shadow – really, as much as you disliked the other holidays, I don't think you'll regret this one."

With a shrug, and before fully thinking through his reply, he said, "Well, I didn't regret all of the other ones."

Rouge's ears perked at his statement and her lids raised, surprised that the reclusive hedgehog would admit to liking anything that she'd dragged him through. He realized the slip-up himself, but brushed it off and changed the subject as they left the room together.

"I should meet up with you sometime tomorrow, then?" he asked.

"Yeah. If you come by around noon, that should give us plenty of time." She couldn't take her eyes off of him while they walked back across the lobby, and wished him a good night as he left the club.

***

Accompanying the pushy treasure hunter to the store was less than preferable for Shadow, but he managed to keep the shopping to a minimum while gathering sufficient decorations to make the night club seem haunted and gothic.

Their cart was filled with fake spider webbing, ghost-shaped ceiling danglers, life-sized shadow-figure stickers, and some more technical atmosphere-enhancers that they'd found along the way. Rouge looked over their full basket and grimaced a little, estimating the cost in her head.

"Did we really need to get all the expensive stuff?" she asked, wondering if they couldn't have gone with some of the cheaper-made alternatives. "My heart breaks thinking of how much I'll have to spend here!"

"Hmph, there's a sacrifice to make if you want quality," Shadow reminded her. "Or are you only willing to part with your wealth when it's for luxury items?"

His greedy friend scoffed and forced a crooked smile. "Even then, I prefer a five-finger discount if I can get one!"

Her retort made him chuckle, but he backed up his defense of getting high-quality decorations. "Well, you're not pulling that off with all of this. If you really want your event to be impressive, you need things that won't fall apart an hour into the night."

She dishearteningly conceded his point, then heard a young feminine voice speaking out as someone approached them. "Hey, you guys! Wow, Shadow, I wouldn't expect you to be here!"

The pair stopped and turned to see Amy Rose walking up to them, a small shopping basket hanging on her arm; inside was a puffy light blue dress, presumably a costume. Rouge greeted her, but Shadow looked away, annoyed that they were being interrupted from leaving.

Amy commented, "I saw your cart so full of things and just had to ask – that's all for the party, right?"

The bat nodded. "Yep, it'll be a big one."

"I can't wait!" She then looked at Shadow. "I didn't realize you also liked to decorate."

His brow furrowed, not wanting to get into a conversation, and he closed his eyes to avoid giving her his full attention. His voice turned stiff and dismissive. "I don't. It was Rouge's idea."

Amy's face hardened at his tone and she turned back to Rouge, glazing over his response. "Anyway, you look like you're really into it – I'm so glad you're finally hosting a holiday party."

"Yeah, it was about time, right? I have a feeling the place will be packed."

Losing his patience enough to excuse himself, Shadow told his shopping partner, "I'll be waiting at the checkout line. Don't take so long," and began walking away.

Rouge looked at him, then back to Amy, and shook her head with a subdued smile. The pink hedgehog stuck one fist against her hip and said, "Boy, he's in a mood, isn't he? Typical Shadow."

"Yeah, but look at the stuff he picked out for the party. I have to admit, the guy knows the spooky style pretty well."

"Ooh!" Glancing over the items, Amy's face brightened. "You're not skimping on this event! That all looks great."

"You can bet my club will be the hottest spot on the block tonight." Rouge sassily flicked one hand against her ivory curls. "Bring the boys, if you can."

"I sure will," Amy confirmed, then raised her free hand in a short wave. "See you tonight!"

With that, the two parted ways and the bat met up with her grumpy counterpart; soon rushing off to Club Rouge with bags of ghoulish adornments. When they arrived at the unlit establishment, she unlocked the front door and they brought everything in, arms heavy with merchandise. Rouge let out a relieved grunt as she laid the bags on the floor, then turned to Shadow while he placed the rest of their purchases on top of the lobby bar.

"I'd better get into costume before setting this all up," she said, primping her hair.

One dark brow raised and the hedgehog began idly unpacking the decorations. "You have a costume?"

"Of course," Rouge responded, her tone shifting as if it were obvious. "Why would I host an event without getting dressed up?"

He paused for a second, looking upwards as if to ponder, then answered, "You seemed less vain today, so I guess I just didn't think about it."

The bat scoffed forcefully, taken aback by his clever jab, but the corner of her lips instinctively curled into a smile. "Ouch! Shadow, you're sharp tonight!"

Her partner smiled a bit, too, and balled up the empty plastic bag. "Go on, get dressed so we can get this decorating over with."

Rouge left him to unpack the bags, returning a while later when he'd finished taking everything out and preparing the adornments to be displayed.

With his back turned, Shadow didn't notice her walk up to the bar, but felt the decisive tap on his shoulder, and heard her mature voice push through the silence.

"How do I look?" she asked, and he recognized a plethora of confidence in her tone.

Turning around, the normally-disinterested lifeform was surprised at the bat's new appearance; it held a much darker theme than her preferred style. She'd replaced her typical bodysuit with one that ended just above the thighs, leaving the upper half of her tan legs bare, the fabric still black and hugging her figure.

In place of her heart-shaped chestplate was a blood-orange strapless top, and she wore a black witch's hat with a cloth band colored the same orange-red.

Her gloves and boots resembled the original iterations, except all-black instead of white and pink – and Shadow even noticed a dark, thin cape draping her back and peeking around the sides of her silhouette.

For more of an intense makeup look, Rouge's eyeshadow was garnet red and her lips were painted cherry. The bold Halloween colors contrasted her bright teal eyes, which almost seemed to glow in the dimness of the empty club.

"Well?" the woman asked after a moment of silence, posing with one hand on her hip and the other behind her head. Her voice still dripped with self-assurance. "Have I stunned you into speechlessness?"

"Heh, no," he finally said, amused at her playful arrogance. "It certainly suits you."

She teased, "As in: It's a hot look? How flattering – I'm glad I understand your cryptic speech patterns so well."

Shadow rolled his eyes and the two started decorating. The hostess grabbed the boxes of lighting materials, wanting to turn her building's lights on for the evening. She replaced the standard pink and blue bulbs with orange and red ones, filling every floor with bloody autumn colors.

Her teammate set up life-sized blow-up standees of ghouls and skeletons to occupy the corners of the rooms, and strung spider webbing along portions of the walls and furniture that wouldn't get moved during the party.

Rouge helped place the webbing on higher spots and hung glow-in-the-dark ghosts from the ceilings in both the lobby and the upper lounge; as well as assisted him in putting demon-like shadow stickers on the walls.

Shadow took it upon himself to set up the smoke machine for the first-story, putting it on a timer so the carpeted floor would be covered with mist by the time the guests arrived.

While he did that, Rouge made punch and filled bowls with candy, placing the treats on the bar tops in both the lobby and the lounge. When the initial decorating was finished, her working crew showed up and she let them in, showing the staff what they'd done so far and briefing them on their tasks for the night.

On the second floor, Shadow met the DJ and talked over the music options with him, choosing songs that encompassed both the dark ambience of the night and the fun atmosphere of an energetic party.

They wrapped up the preparations in time for the first of the event's arrivals to be let in, Rouge's eager invitees being immediately greeted at the door by the welcoming bat.

Her stolid helper went up to the lounge while people filtered in – Rouge herself received a stream of compliments from the partygoers who gushed over the club's haunted look and the gothic rave music playing through the overhead speakers.

It wasn't long before Amy showed up with Sonic and Tails in tow, the three of them dressed in thematic costumes. Amy was wearing the blue dress she'd been shopping for, further dolled up as a fairy princess with wings and a tiara.

Sonic had on a helmet that resembled a jack o'lantern, as well as a long black cape, and held a gold-tipped cane; when Rouge inquired, he claimed to be a Pumpkin King.

Tails was dressed as an alchemist, wearing a lengthy, dark red coat and a belt carrying various vials. They stood near the entrance with the hostess, taking in the mysterious aura of the room while other guests trickled through the door.

Amy was the first to compliment, "Wow, this looks even better than I was imagining!"

"Yeah, you really nailed the spooky vibe," added Sonic.

"Thanks, guys," Rouge accepted, taking the credit as she'd promised and leaving Shadow out of it. "I'm glad you could make it. But someone's missing, right? Or would that cowardly echidna have been too scared to show up?"

She chuckled deviously and Tails replied, "Aw, we wouldn't be able to convince Knuckles to come to one of your parties."

"Yeah," Sonic jumped in, "no matter what the theme was."

"Hmph." Rouge rolled her eyes. "He's missing out, then!"

Upstairs, Shadow was fixing himself a drink from the punch bowl centered on the lounge bar top. Even with music filling the air, he could hear the muffled noises of elated shouts and loud conversations drifting up from the lower floors.

It put him on edge thinking of how many people would be showing up throughout the night. He went to the other side of the bar with his cup and perused the liquor selection, plucking a bottle and uncapping it to pour some into the bright red juice. 'This will help to make the night sufferable...'

As Sonic and Tails broke off from the group to mingle with the other visitors, Amy lifted a white plastic bucket and reached inside. "Here, Rouge, I brought something sweet for you to add to the menu."

"Oh!" She took the box that Amy handed over, briefly flipping the lid open to peer at the home-baked Halloween cookies inside. "Delicious – I'll put these out right away."

The ivory bat brought the dessert upstairs, momentarily scanning her eyes over the second-story dance floor to appreciate the considerable collection of partygoers enjoying the music.

When she entered the lounge, followed by a small gaggle of guests, she spotted Shadow standing by the bar. She approached and placed the cookie box down on the mahogany surface, gaining his attention as he looked up from his drink.

"Enjoying yourself?" she asked, turning to make eye contact.

The hedgehog's eyes were a deeper, more striking shade of red thanks to the new lights she'd set up, almost impossible to look away from as he spoke. "A bit. I'm not dreading this event just yet."

There was a teasing tinge to his tone, his mouth curved into a subdued smile, his hand slowly swirling to stir his drink. When he raised the cup to take a sip, Rouge asked, "Will you be joining the rest of us? I know it's quieter up here, for now."

She didn't ask with the expectation that he would accept, thinking it clear that someone like Shadow would prefer to hang out alone for most of the party – especially as not many people had wandered up to the third floor yet. But he shrugged, lowered his drink and looked down at it.

"I'll be in a better headspace soon," was his response, his free hand gesturing to the spiked punch. He looked up at her again, his vampire eyes somewhat hypnotic in the blood-orange glow of the shifting lights. "I can head down with you."

Rouge could feel her cheeks flushing, though she was sure he wouldn't notice in the maroon-hued room. She smoothly wrapped one hand around his arm and escorted him out of the lounge, the pair descending the stairs together.

But before she could lead him lower, the costumed bat spotted two familiar faces on the dance floor: Silver and Blaze, who were moving at a steady rhythm on the edge of the purple-tinted tiles.

"Oh, look who made it," she said, pointing and causing Shadow's gaze to follow hers.

She didn't ask if he wanted to say hello, simply heading their way and taking him along while their arms were still linked. Though, the hedgehog didn't protest, as he didn't harbor any ill feelings towards Silver – who was dressed as an android, wearing a black bodysuit covered in bright green angular stripes that resembled the layout of a computer chip, with a visor over one eye in the same color – or his teammate Blaze – resembling a mage in dark blue robes with a cowl covering her hair, and carrying a staff on her back. They walked up to the edge of the dance floor and Rouge raised her voice to be heard over the grim, pulsing techno.

"Hey, glad you guys could make it!" She raised her hand in a wave when the two gave her their attention.

"Oh, hey!" Silver responded, also raising his voice and slowing his movements a bit. "We were wondering where the hostess was! Great party, Rouge!"

"The atmosphere is so different in here," Blaze added.

Rouge grinned and let go of her friend's arm. "Thanks! But I can't take all the credit! Shadow was a big help in getting it all put together."

Silver turned to smile at Shadow, his expression friendly as it always was. "Awesome! That was really nice of you, Shadow!"

The darker man's mouth twitched into a brief sneer at his compliment, then he crossed his arms – as well as he could with the drink still in his hand – and replied, "She practically forced me to."

There was a tiny touch of jest in his tone, underneath the thick layer of dreariness; enough for Blaze to pick up on. She chuckled at his claim, while Rouge rolled her eyes and shrugged to accept the blame.

The four of them chatted a bit longer, until Shadow finished his drink and used it as an excuse to break away from them. He walked away to find a trashcan, heading back upstairs while Rouge wrapped up her talk with Silver and Blaze to check on the rest of her guests.

She went down to the lobby to give her partner some time alone, figuring his shallow social battery had run out. The third-floor lounge was louder than before, having collected more partiers as they grew hungry and began populating the bar, where they could refill their drinks and prepare their own miniature meals.

Wanting to sequester himself for a bit, Shadow remembered Rouge's offer to let him use the roof, where she'd claimed she would provide him a 'nice little setup.'

With a whisper of Chaos Control, he teleported up to the flat, empty gray slat of the club's roof top, where he saw the sitting spot she'd laid out just for him.

It was a double-seated recliner – likely one from the lounge, considering the plush red cushions – facing the side of the building that looked out towards the moon.

When he approached it, Shadow saw more than just the recliner. There was also a small table, standing just ahead of the chair, which carried a lit candle and a single flower in a vase.

As he sat on one half of the comfortable chair, the Ultimate Lifeform smiled calmly at the candle, which was giving off the spicy scent of clove and must've been burning since before the party started. Rouge was lucky that it wasn't a windy night, otherwise the small fire would've failed at keeping the spicy wooden smell in the air.

'Always a lucky one, that bat...' he thought, amusing himself as his interest switched to the tall, clear vase. A black rose was sticking out of the curved top, no doubt Rouge's idea of adding extra aesthetic to the setup; but he didn't mind, reaching out and plucking it from the slim container.

The thorns sticking out from its stem pressed against his fingers, thankfully not sharp enough to penetrate his thick-threaded gloves and malleable enough to feel real.

Holding the flower beneath his nose, the hedgehog picked up the faint but sweet aroma lingering from its petals, furthering his assumption that it was an actual flower and not plastic.

Of course, she wouldn't have gotten anything but the real plant – he and his winged companion both favored authenticity over imitation, although they felt such a way about vastly different things.

'Vaguely pleasant,' he mused, leaning back against the seat and looking at the rose. 'Almost like...'

His sentiment was caught between 'like me' and 'like her,' considering the descriptor an appropriate attribute for both of the tough fighters, who kept their guards fully up with everyone but each other.

And normally he wouldn't have thought himself to be pleasant in any capacity, but Shadow had to be honest when he was alone and admit to himself that he had some likable qualities.

Was the flower Rouge's way of teasing him even when she wasn't there – to point out that she knew he could be caring deep down? She'd purposely put it there, decorating his private rooftop escape as if it was something she thought he'd appreciate.

Could it just be her tendency to add an extra bit of flair to everything she did? That was certainly possible, too; it was in-line with the Halloween atmosphere she'd added to everything else, so maybe she only did it for herself.

Either way, Shadow had a blissfully quiet moment – bar the muffled bump of music below – to ponder the probable symbolism of their friendship, one that had grown and strengthened considerably over time.

And it was during his contemplation that the charismatic spy found herself itching to check on him, wrapping up the patrol of her casino after socializing with the guests.

She stepped out into the cold air through the lobby's double doors, feeling a chill run down her back, then took off towards the roof. She knew he'd be up there, sitting quietly – at least, she hoped he was making use of the mini-lounge she'd done up all on her own.

By the time she landed and looked upon him, Shadow had replaced the rose in its vase and propped up the footrest of the recliner. Her heels clicked on the solid roofing as she approached, gaining his attention, and she offered a wave.

"I knew I'd find you here," she commented, stepping between his outstretched legs and the little table to reach the second half of the double-seated chair.

"Hmph," he muttered, turning his frown into a smirk. "Discovery of the century."

"Sarcasm!" She dropped onto the seat beside him, her sly smile growing wide. "Now that's how I know you're relaxed. No one but moi could make a cold night comfortable."

The hedgehog kept further witty retorts to himself, preferring to savor the little bit of silence he could hold onto; leaned back on his side of the recliner, with his arms crossed over his chest, he looked back up at the sky.

Rouge did, too, crossing one leg over the other and clutching the one armrest on her side. Then, she piped up, "It's a shame there are so little stars showing over the city."

"Hm, yes... it's too bright here," he agreed solemnly.

"At least the moon is big and beautiful tonight! Almost full – wouldn't that have been perfect for Halloween?"

Silence permeated the air again as he opted not to reply, not entirely making the connection between a full moon and Halloween night. While he sat quietly, his costumed partner made herself more comfortable, pulling up her own footrest to lounge, as well. In his peripheral, he caught the shuffle of her form as she turned onto her side, facing him and propping her head on one hand.

"You gonna be going back to the party?" she asked, her voice low and calm. "It's fun down there."

He looked at her, then, and shrugged his shoulders. "I hadn't thought about it until now – your prying just reminded me."

Under dark eyeshadow, Rouge's turquoise eyes rolled before trailing back to him, her smile unfaltering. Half-jokingly, she inquired, "Hadn't thought about it... so in other words, I'm the only company you need?"

A scoff escaped his lips before he could think of a response, and he found himself shifting a bit nervously as the implications of her question sunk in.

They sat so closely beside each other, the jewel thief's body language casual as she half-lay across the red cushions, her expression composed while she stared at him.

The soft blue glow of the moonlight outlined one side of her, the shadows of her face strikingly dark on the other side as they were cast in an interesting way by the hat atop her head.

Shadow saw a different kind of beauty in her alternative appearance; the dark reds of her temporary look were more appealing to him than her usual blue and pink get-up.

His mouth remained closed, the quiet man neglecting to answer, and she took it upon herself to make a move. Rouge rested her free hand on his arm and held her gaze, parting painted lips.

"You know, I wouldn't mind being that..."

As close as she was, Shadow didn't feel comfortable holding their mutual stare, and so he dropped ruby eyes toward the seat cushions. It was difficult to think when her touch was warmer than the evening air, subtly squeezing and paralyzing him through the boldness of her flirting.

It was only flirting, wasn't it? Nothing serious from Rouge the Bat – something she did all the time, and to anyone she thought she could charm. But he couldn't fully convince himself of that, not after the consideration of where their partnership had taken them, and the godawfully heavy beating of his heart when she was so near to him.

The silent lifeform couldn't speak, only try to think his way to something he could say, anything to break the tension. But the hostess grew impatient with the quiet, stone-still demeanor of her company.

She leaned closer, giving him time to react if he decided to pull away or jump up from his seat; anything that would tell her he didn't want her to kiss him.

Shadow didn't move, his heart beating faster, but his composure being held shockingly well. She was nervous, too – as nervous as the infamous jewel thief could get – and her grip tightened on the hedgehog's arm when cherry-colored lips landed on the corner of his natural frown.

The kiss was light, their mouths barely making contact, but Rouge's teammate was shaking inside. His hands were squeezed into fists and his eyelids became heavy, closing to darken his vision while his brows furrowed.

It was strange to be kissed at all, let alone by his closest friend and confidant. But it wasn't unwelcome, and he ultimately chose not to pull away, instead turning his face slightly to let their lips overlap a little more.

The moment didn't last any longer than a few seconds before the bat pulled back to gauge Shadow's reaction. Her cheeks were flushed, heart pounding, as well; and she almost grew concerned about his strained expression until he opened his eyes.

His face relaxed, though his lounging posture remained stiff, and he returned her gaze. Then, Rouge looked down at his mouth and instinctively let out a soft, embarrassed chuckle at the smudge of lipstick on his tanned skin.

Her hand released his arm to raise in front of her muzzle, which prompted Shadow to wipe one thumb over his lips before glancing at the red stain on his white glove.

A brief snicker slipped through his teeth and his cheeks turned a faintly pinker shade, crimson eyes looking away from the bewitching woman who'd now embarrassed them both.

Rouge felt the heavy tension hanging over them and quickly became uncomfortable with the rigidity of her own posture, turning over to her original position and pushing her heels down against the footrest.

It popped back into place as the backrest raised to a stand, and she tapped her gloved fingers against the armrest while looking over at Shadow.

"Well, I'd better leave you to your musing," she said, her tone uneasy even as she tried to sound cheerful. Then she stood, cleared her throat, and added, "You can stay in my loft again, if you want. It's pretty late, so I don't mind saving you a trip if you'd rather crash here."

He cleared his throat, as well, and replied, "Maybe... I'll think about it."

Attempting to hold onto her confident flair, Rouge pinched the front end of her hat and subtly tipped it while she gave a single nod, her smile growing.

She left him to return to the party; and once the airy flap of her wings faded into inaudibility, Shadow let out a deep sigh and stared back up at the night sky.

#sonic fanfiction #ship fanfic #heartfelt holidays #heartfelt holidays chapter 5 #dracaria fics #shadouge #shadrouge #rouge the bat #shadow the hedgehog #sonic the hedgehog #halloween #writing

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dracarialove · 1 day

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📄F it, I'm posting my finished fics here, too 📄

Heartfelt Holidays

*Check the 'heartfelt holidays' tag if you haven't read chapter 1

[Chapter 4: Springtime Sun and Eggcellent Fun]

Cream and her mother Vanilla host an Easter egg hunt for all their friends. Shadow gets revenge on Rouge by making her go to the event.

Spring had arrived and brought about the blooming of flowers across the lands, dotting every wild plain with beautiful floral growths in all different colors under the healthy showers of early morning drizzles.

One bright, breezy Sunday, Cream the Rabbit ran out to a field of various blossoms near her house, intent on picking the prettiest ones. She frolicked excitedly with a small woven basket in-hand, her long ears bouncing about and her mouth pulled into a gleeful smile.

The wind was strong, blowing roughly against her orange dress and threatening the stability of her basket, but the girl was careful not to let the wicker container fall over once she'd dropped a few flowers into it.

The soft petals of each bloom she picked were large and splayed open to show off their different colors; blues and yellows and whites, all mixing together within the basket. But it wasn't just the flowers Cream was excited about!

She and her mother were planning a special event to celebrate the start of spring, and they'd invited all of their friends to attend a gathering at the same park where they had celebrated Lucky Clover Day one month before.

With the natural venue booked for their party, everyone would get to see the gorgeous flora of the park, freshly grown into its healthiest state. They would also get to participate in a festive egg hunt, which Cream thought would give their guests something fun to do.

When her basket was full, the young rabbit hopped up from the grassy ground and spun to face her house, holding her plucked treasures in both arms.

She ran back home before the next powerful gust of wind came, passing the doorway inside just before the heavy breeze slammed the door behind her.

Vanilla looked up from her project in surprise at the sound, her lips parting in a light startle – she was sitting in a plush brown recliner, hand-painting a yellow egg.

"Be careful with the door, dear," she said, her wavery voice polite as usual.

Cream responded, "Sorry, Mother!" and bounded farther into the living room.

She hurried over to a wooden table, which was stacked with dozens of flower crowns, and placed her basket on the edge. Soon, her blue Chao friend Cheese was fluttering over to her and chiming with excitement at the fresh supply of colorful blossoms.

"Are you ready to make more crowns, Cheese?" asked the brown-eyed bunny.

Eager to begin, they landed next to the basket and grabbed a flower by its stem, then held it out to her. "Chao! Chao!"

An hour later, the small family had finished their projects in preparation for the event, and began gathering up the supplies they would be bringing to the park.

The eggs Vanilla had painted sat in dozens within carton-sized boxes; she opened up a large trunk with plush cushion lining the inside and loaded it with the many boxes. Meanwhile, Cream and Cheese filled a large wicker basket with all of the flower crowns they'd made.

Nearby, waiting to be transported with everything else, were the bakery boxes of desserts they'd cooked up and a tall, neat stack of plastic handbaskets for guests to use during the egg hunt. Just as Vanilla closed the trunk, she heard a firm few knocks on the front door, and a smile grew as she turned to approach the entrance.

"Just in time!" she said, eagerly rushing to answer the door.

Standing just outside her home were the members of Team Chaotix, Vector the Crocodile grinning with his hands clasped behind his back. Espio and Charmy stood at his sides, waiting to be invited in while Vanilla greeted them.

Her kind voice spoke, "Good morning! Thank you, boys, so much for helping with this special celebration."

"Our pleasure, ma'am!" Vector blurted, walking into the house once the lady gestured for them to enter. "You know you can always call the Chaotix when you need help!"

Vanilla gave the three detectives direction on which items to grab for the event – Vector, being the strongest, carried the trunk full of eggs; Charmy picked up the stack of cheap buckets and flew behind his boss on their way out.

Espio gathered the boxes of baked goods, careful to balance them perfectly in his arms; and as Vanilla was picking up the big basket of flower crowns, she remembered one last item.

"Oh, Cream, dear – would you run into the kitchen and grab the gift basket?"

The young rabbit nodded and disappeared through a doorway, returning a moment later with a basket almost as tall as herself, wrapped in plastic and filled with various goodies.

The group of six filtered out the front door and went on their way to the park, making small talk and listening to the babyish singing of an excited Cheese.

***

In the downtown area of the city – streets and sidewalks mostly empty in the midst of a lazy Sunday morning – an early-risen Shadow visited Club Rouge, approaching the quiet building and scanning crimson eyes up the high-rise windows that lined the club's exterior.

He then looked down at the golden watch glittering on his wrist, checking the time. 'Hm, I wonder if she's even awake at this hour.'

With plenty of time to spare before her establishment would open, he figured the bat would stay in bed for as long as she feasibly could – getting her 'beauty sleep,' as he'd heard her claim before.

But Shadow wasn't considering Rouge's possible desire to rest, instead intent on bothering her the way she'd done to him the previous month. Locked doors wouldn't stop him from getting inside, the hedgehog using his Chaos Emerald to teleport up to the third floor, appearing below the hatch that led up into her lofted bedroom.

It would've been dark in the large, unlit room, were the uncovered windows not letting in natural light. The stoic lifeform stared up at the square of wood receding into the ceiling, painted light gray to blend with the plaster, and a sly smirk crossed his lips.

'She'll regret trying to order me around,' he thought smugly. 'Let's see how she likes a rude awakening.'

Shadow jumped straight up towards the hatch and slammed the side of his fist forcefully against the makeshift door before dropping back to the floor.

A heavy, jarring sound filled the silent air when the thick wood tried to open, only to be stopped by the lock on the other side. But it budged enough for the vindictive man to be satisfied with the noise, his smirk sticking.

Inside the attic-like room, Rouge was jolted awake by the sudden thud of her bedroom door being attacked. She sat up in a haze, half-lying on her mattress and looking around.

Discombobulated and feeling her heart rate spike from the startle, the messy-haired woman rubbed her eyes immediately before being frightened by another loud bang against the wooden entrance.

Confused and now on high-alert, she rushed out of bed and threw a white fluffy robe over her mulberry nightgown, keeping an eye on the bouncing hatch as it was struck a third time.

"Who's there?!" she exclaimed, making her voice harsh and hoping to be heard over the clunking.

Shadow's deep voice matched her volume through the door. "Wake up and let me in!"

For a second, Rouge was flabbergasted to hear her teammate on the other side of the disrespectful racket. Her fear disappeared and one corner of her unglossed lips pulled into a sneer. The hedgehog's tone was determined, but it didn't sound like whatever he was ruining her morning for was an emergency.

Frustrated, the jewel hunter scoffed loudly, stepped closer to the hatch, and replied, "Shadow, are you crazy?! It's way too early for all this noise!"

He ignored her response and slammed against the wood once more, shouting, "Open up!"

Exhausted by her friend's rudeness – but unfortunately unable to ignore him back – Rouge sighed and knelt on the hardwood floor near the metal lock.

She flipped it to unblock the hatch, then lifted the door enough to see Shadow standing on the carpet below. His smirk was gone, so he semi-glared up at her while the bat's mouth curved into a scowl.

Her brows furrowed and she scolded, "You'd better have a good reason for waking me up like this! I swear, if I have to ban you from my club..."

Rouge's sentence trailed off a moment before the assertive hedgehog jumped again, this time grabbing onto the side of the open entrance.

His expression didn't change, looking up through the square space and still not acknowledging her words; but the ivory lady's face switched to puzzlement as she was taken aback by his behavior.

She opened the hatch more, letting it flip over to rest on the loft's hardwood floor, then offered Shadow her bare hand while he hung from the ceiling. His free arm lifted to meet hers, wrapping gloved fingers around Rouge's wrist before she began pulling him up into the attic space.

"What's going on with you?" she asked, more accusatory than worried.

The Ultimate Lifeform's smirk returned as he climbed into the small area, gaining his footing while his companion reclosed the hatch. "I figured you would want to be informed about yet another of those "special events" you like to attend. And I had to make sure you were awake. Now that you are..."

He clapped his hands sarcastically and let more of a sly tone enter his voice, mimicking Rouge's typical sassy nature. "Get dressed."

She scoffed again – this time audible to her arrogant partner – and crossed her arms. "Is this revenge for the Clover Day thing? Sorry I dragged you there, okay; that was a month ago."

Shadow kept his ruby gaze on her while she walked back to the bed, amused at her annoyance. "Didn't you say you wanted to go to these things? More specifically, I remember you wanted me to get out more and be in attendance with you."

"We can skip this one," Rouge told him, tired as she slinked onto the mattress. "So don't worry about it – you're off the hook."

"You're not," he replied with a snicker, approaching while she pulled the blanket over herself. He continued talking at her back when she turned away from him. "You pestered me to make a promise, and I've honored my side of the bargain, even to my detriment."

The dark hedgehog's smirk grew wider to bare his teeth, his tone becoming sharper and his words more pettily vindictive; at the same time, he leaned over his irritated ally and put both hands on her arm, making it more difficult for her to tune him out. "Now you want to back out when it's inconvenient for you? I knew you were a double-crosser, but I won't let you get away with it that easily."

Rouge silently conceded that he had a point – and if anyone was going to make sure she kept her word, it was Shadow. She tried to fight the smile that pricked at the corners of her lips, the bat starting to see the humor in his chosen method, and listened to the man's argument.

"This deal goes both ways, unless you want me to consider it void altogether." A bit more seriousness crept into his cadence. "I can easily go back to the quiet life I had before."

"Alright, alright," the club owner finally spoke, sitting up as Shadow took a step back. She smirked at him while his expression dulled. "I see my persistence is rubbing off on you. Can't shame you for that, I guess!"

She hopped out of bed again and playfully added, "But this event better be worth it."

***

At the park, Team Chaotix helped Cream and Vanilla put together their festive setup, using the park table that sat underneath a gazebo to hold the desserts and plastic buckets.

They all grabbed cartons of the brightly-painted eggs and hid them in various places around the park, then regrouped beneath the gazebo. Cream, excited for the event to start, ran over to the basket filled with flower crowns and eagerly scooped up a handful of the carefully-crafted accessories.

"I made these for the guests to wear!" she said proudly, displaying the colorful rings of flowers and putting one on her own head. "There's enough for everyone – even you guys!"

Vanilla smiled at her gleeful daughter, claiming a crown for herself while Cream offered the sweet-smelling headbands to their helpers. Vector and Charmy accepted them without hesitation, but Espio calmly held up one hand when the young rabbit approached him.

"No, thank you," he spoke politely, though his tone did nothing to stop Cream's feelings from being hurt.

Her brows curved upwards and brown eyes glittered with worry. "What? You don't want one? But I made them for everybody."

"I assure you, I appreciate the gesture," answered the chameleon, trying to soothe her disappointment. "But I don't-"

"Espio!" Vector interrupted, butting in when he saw that Cream was disheartened from the rejection. "How could you not want a flower crown? These things are awesome!"

The crocodile pointed to the blossoms lining his forehead and grinned reassuringly at the kind girl. "I can tell there was a lot of love and care put into them! Plus, they smell really good!"

He elbowed Espio conspicuously, almost knocking him over; and when the stealthy gentleman regained his balance, he saw Cream staring at him with a small, hopeful smile.

Her eyes still sparkled, brows still upturned, as if she was pleading with him to accept the crown hanging from her hands. He did – thanks to the blatant nudge from his boss – and watched the rabbit's face light up when he laid it atop his head.

She and Cheese both chattered with elation about how much fun their event was going to be, frolicking away from the two detectives. Vector gave his teammate a thumbs-up, then glanced over at Vanilla to see her smiling at him, as if showing gratitude for making her daughter happy.

The sight made him blush and silently pat himself on the back for impressing her, meanwhile Espio slowly shook his head at the reptile's behavior.

Soon after, Sonic and his friends arrived at the park, finding the group of six at the gazebo and walking over to greet them. They all exchanged pleasantries and chatted briefly about the heavy breeze that chilled the air whenever a strong gust blew past.

Every now and then, the trees and bushes surrounding the park fluttered and flowed with the chilly wind, newly-bloomed wildflowers swaying about all around them.

Other people began filtering in for the event, meeting with the hostesses and steadily occupying the space around the gazebo; everyone received a flower crown from Cream and Cheese, who made sure that no one was missing the beloved accessories.

Vanilla also opened up the boxes of desserts so the guests could snack as they pleased, earnestly thanking them all for attending and periodically mentioning the egg hunt.

Shadow and Rouge made their appearance as unexpected guests, showing up after a decently-sized crowd of other attendees had filled the area surrounding the gazebo.

As they stepped steadily closer to the festivities, the night-loving bat squinted up at the sky and raised one hand over her eyes. "Ugh, the sun is even brighter this time around – and I am not rested enough to tolerate it."

She whipped out a pair of sunglasses, prepared to block the glaring rays, and slipped them onto her face. "Ahh, so much better. All that light makes my eyes sting."

Immediately objecting to her method of making the sunny day more bearable, Shadow reached over and rudely snatched the shades, uncaring of the offense he caused his partner.

His natural glower transitioned to a smirk as he spoke, "Hmph, I don't think so. You're not allowed to make yourself comfortable after what you put me through last time."

The bat's brows furrowed again and she opened her mouth to counter his statement, but he interrupted before she began. "If you get to steal my things, I can steal yours."

Rouge's glossed lips closed again and she stared at the smirking hedgehog, then her expression changed to one of playful vengeance as her eyes narrowed slightly.

The pair shared a silent moment of mutual acceptance that they would be competitively bantering all day, getting closer to the crowd even as neither intended to actually participate in the holiday celebration.

Under the shade of the gazebo, surrounded by the chatter of guests conversing in nearly every direction, Vector approached Vanilla while carrying a megaphone in both hands.

"Hey, so... I brought a gift to help you make announcements," he told her. "Without it, the people farther away might miss you talking about the egg hunt, and I want everyone to hear it."

"Oh, how thoughtful!" exclaimed Vanilla, taking the megaphone from his grip. "Thank you, Vector – this will certainly help."

She decided to take the opportunity then to announce the egg hunt, satisfied with the crowd that'd gathered, and so briefly adjusted the device's settings to comfortably carry her voice across the nearby area.

Lifting it near her mouth, the lady cleared her throat; the light hum of her action echoed out and caught the guests' attention, their conversations quieting as they all turned to her.

"Thank you all for coming to this wonderful celebration," she started, her wavery voice reaching to the back of the crowd. "Cream and I are so grateful to have everyone here on such a lovely day! Please enjoy the food and this beautiful sunshine for as long as it lasts – I just wanted to quickly let you all know that we've planned a special activity for anyone who wants to participate."

Vanilla gestured with her free hand to a space past the gazebo that led out into the park. "There are many colorful, hand-painted eggs hidden in different locations in this very park! If you'd like, you can hunt for them and put any eggs you find into one of these baskets."

She gestured the other way towards the stack of plastic buckets sitting on one side of the park table. Some of the guests looked at each other, sharing intrigued gazes as Vanilla stepped closer to the table and continued, "After one hour, we'll gather back here and everyone's eggs will be counted. The winner with the most eggs will get to take home this arrangement of different desserts, trinkets, accessories, and other goodies!"

She grabbed the gift basket and hoisted it up high enough for everyone to see, gaining a soft wave of interested mumbles from the audience. Then she placed it back down and finished, "I'll give anyone who wants to join in on the fun a bit of time to grab a basket and prepare for the search; then I'll announce the start of the hunt. Thank you all, again, for your time!"

The megaphone clicked off as the mature rabbit lowered it from her face, and she watched the crowd enliven again as some of them approached the park table to grab a bucket. Sonic's group all claimed a basket as well, and the Blue Blur's attention was soon grabbed by Cream tugging on his glove cuff.

"Sonic?" she chimed, staring innocent eyes up at him. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Cream! What is it?"

She fidgeted with her fingers a bit, her voice sweet and polite. "If you're going to do the egg hunt, will you promise to give everyone a fair chance?"

"Aw, of course," he answered, endeared by her kindness. Her smile widened when he added, "I'll look for those eggs at the same speed as everyone else, just for you."

Happy with his reply, Cream hugged the heroic hedgehog. "Thank you, Sonic!"

At the very back of the shifting crowd, Shadow turned to Rouge after listening in on Vanilla's announcement. He held his neutral expression, but lifted one eyebrow slightly and crossed his arms. "You're lucky that I have no interest in this activity, otherwise you would be helping me obtain that prize."

The bat scoffed a bit, her lips curling into a smile as both hands gravitated to her hips. She replied sarcastically, "Gee, thanks – so kind of you to spare me the torture."

He broke eye contact to gaze at their surroundings, a bit disappointed that his partner wasn't suffering as much as he'd hoped. There wasn't much around to use against her without irking himself, as well.

Unfortunately for Shadow, the jewel thief was more adaptable, finding it easier to brush off the annoyances once she'd begun playing his game.

After a moment, he commented, "There really is nothing here for us. How many of these events will we attend, only to realize it's near-meaningless to be here at all?"

Rouge glanced around the park as well, then at her friend, then towards the gazebo. "Hold on, Shadow, there's gotta be something here that's worth the trip."

Teal eyes landed on the park table, adorned with the open boxes of baked goods. An idea started to form in her clever mind, the sneaky lady taking note of how many guests stood near it.

Her bright gaze snapped back to Shadow's face, her smile mischievous. "Say, did you ever learn to appreciate a sweet treat?"

The hedgehog looked back at her, their eyes locking, and one of his brows raised in an expression of intrigue at her question. Meanwhile, Vanilla was preparing to announce the start of the egg hunt.

With everyone grouped up outside the gazebo, she assumed all who wanted to participate had claimed a bucket, and left the shady structure to join them. Vector and Cream walked with her, then stood by her sides as she fiddled with the megaphone again.

While they waited, the crocodile spoke up, "I have to say, ma'am, you put together a really nice party! I don't know if I could come up with something so creative!"

He laughed and received a reply from Cream instead of her mother. "Thank you, Vector – we worked really hard to plan everything!"

The detective cut his forced laughter short and decided to compliment the girl as well, hoping to earn extra points with Vanilla by expressing encouragement. "Well, you did a great job! Make sure to let me know if you ever plan something like this again!"

Once the matronly woman turned the megaphone back on, the chattering crowd's attention was drawn again by the device's feedback. They stood quietly, clutching their baskets and listening to their hostess' announcement.

"Alright, everyone! If you're all ready to begin the search, I only ask that you hunt fairly and avoid being rough with each other. This is a friendly competition, so please have fun!"

A vague mumble of agreement to the rules spread across the audience, guests preparing to head off as soon as Vanilla gave the word. Her voice echoed through the amplifier, "Ready, and... go!"

Everyone with buckets took off in different directions through the park, while those who chose not to participate cheered them on. With the space surrounding the gazebo abandoned for the moment, the cunning bat was able to stealthily approach the park table, quickly choosing a box of desserts to steal.

She swiped it from the wooden surface, then paused briefly to also grab a flower crown from the big basket sitting nearby. She escaped the area without being seen and retreated to a shaded spot behind a tree, where Shadow lounged with his back against the thick trunk.

His smug smirk made a reappearance as he watched Rouge peep around the oak to make sure she wasn't caught. "You just can't resist an opportunity to take something that isn't yours, can you?"

"Oh, hush," she responded, flashing a playful expression as she turned to sit next to the Ultimate Lifeform. "You act like you aren't an accomplice to this petty crime. Besides, it's not really stealing – they were offered up for everyone, right?"

A breathy chuckle barely escaped his slightly parted lips, calm red eyes looking down at the box being opened. "If you believed that, you wouldn't be trying to hide."

The lady's blue-green gaze flicked up at him briefly before returning to the assortment of sweet snacks. "Maybe I just don't want someone interrupting our fun."

Before he could add anything else, Rouge changed the subject. "Wow, these look good! Those bunnies really like to bake."

From the arrangement of cupcakes, cookies, and brownies, she grabbed one of the paper-wrapped mini-cakes which seemed to be chocolate-flavored, topped with purple frosting and dotted with white sprinkles.

Shadow took a square of dense fluffy fudge, a dessert he hadn't tried before. But predating his bite of the soft brownie was another comment from Rouge, his gaze being drawn when she motioned to reveal the flower crown she'd taken.

"By the way, I grabbed this for you," she said, a sly smile crossing her muzzle as she tossed the accessory towards his head.

It landed on the hedgehog's black and red quills a mere moment before he clutched the blossoms with his free hand, the wrist of which still displayed his Valentine's gift from Rouge.

She took notice of the gold wristwatch wrapped snugly around his glove's cuff, her gaze stuck to it while he scoffed at her teasing and removed the crown.

"You gonna be wearing that more often?" asked the curious woman, pointing at the metal band. "I know you said you liked it, but I'm still a little surprised you actually kept it."

Shadow glanced at the watch and then shrugged, averting his gaze to stare back down at the dessert in his other hand. He dropped the flower crown to the ground and answered, "I found a use for it – there isn't much more to it than that."

One ivory brow furrowed over sky-blue eyeshadow and Rouge placed her free hand over his, instantly rejecting the man's tendency to brush off bonding moments. "Come on, now, Shadow. You don't have to be aloof with me."

He ignored her touch atop his own but didn't move his hand from the grass. His unchanging facial expression blocked her attempt at closeness from being acknowledged. Rouge continued, "I actually kinda liked the more playful energy you showed today. You're sort of spunky when you're out for revenge."

She chuckled in a faint attempt at flirtation, expecting him to be a bit more positive when he looked back at her. But Shadow's response was more of the same. "I just like to see people paying their dues. So, while I'll admit it was vindicating to see you feel some of the aggravation I experienced, that amusement doesn't last very long."

His crimson eyes dragged away from her once more and his demeanor stiffened slightly, though the stoic being's deep voice remained calm. "But don't get the wrong idea. I'm not loathing being here."

Rouge stared at him for a second, trying to analyze her teammate's state of mind through his body language, but not quite deciphering what he might be feeling on a deeper level – down in the depths of his guarded core, where he likely kept all the emotions he wouldn't speak about.

It was tough to crack the thick outer shell that was Shadow's stone-faced manner, even as he didn't rationally have anything to worry about. His naturally reclusive nature influenced the need for privacy and respect of that boundary.

So, while the bat didn't fully accept his answer as satisfying, she allowed him to get away with not accepting her compliment. It was a fairly even trade, and all she really wanted from the hedgehog was the effort to spend his time more casually.

If that meant simply sitting in the shade and having a snack together, then that's what it would be, and Shadow seemed to be okay with that deal when they moved on to tasting the expertly-crafted treats that helped bring the pair a little bit closer.

#sonic fanfiction #ship fanfic #heartfelt holidays #heartfelt holidays chapter 4 #dracaria fics #shadouge #shadrouge #rouge the bat #shadow the hedgehog #sonic the hedgehog #easter #writing

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dracarialove · 2 days

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📄F it, I'm posting my finished fics here, too 📄

Heartfelt Holidays

*Check the 'heartfelt holidays' tag if you haven't read chapter 1

[Chapter 3: Irish's Lucky Picnic]

Irish the Hedgehog hosts a Lucky Clover Day picnic, which Sonic and his friends happily attend. Rouge goads Shadow into going with her, as well.

Happy, upbeat Celtic music poured from the open windows of a wood cabin, floating through the chilly air of an expansive clover field while a chipper green hedgehog danced around his living room.

Making up his own lyrics to accompany the instrumental flutes and bagpipes, he tapped the soles of his shoes against chestnut floorboards and finished sealing up the last of a hundred large green envelopes.

One of them, he sent off to a specific friend – the others, he tossed into a wicker basket before donning his black top hat and jauntily strolling outside.

His peppy stride took him to the hot air balloon parked near the backside of his home, which he climbed into and got to work lifting from the grassy ground.

The balloon boasted a bold orange color with a stark white stripe across the middle, carrying the blue-eyed hedgehog in a thick woven basket only big enough for one passenger.

With fire lifting heated air into the round nylon envelope, his transport escaped the clover-ridden pasture, then floated off in whichever direction the wind blew.

It wasn't long before the letter that'd been mailed ended up on the doorstep of Sonic the Hedgehog's modest home. When he opened the front door, he saw the green rectangle lying on the stone step; curious, he grabbed it and ripped open the flap, then pulled out a mint green sheet of paper.

While scanning emerald eyes over scribbled letters, his conscious read the words, "Dear Sonic – Get yourself ready for some fun, lad! To celebrate Lucky Clover Day, your friend is hosting a Lucky Picnic in that grand old park outside the city. Swing by, enter the raffle, enjoy the music, and bring your friends! Oh, and don't you forget to wear somethin' green if you don't wanta get pinched! Cheers – Irish the Hedgehog"

"Well, I'll be!" Sonic said out loud, grinning at the invitation. "I haven't seen Irish in a while! I'd better tell the others."

The Blue Blur rushed off to recruit his friends for another holiday event, all the while his acquaintance was floating towards the city in his simplistic vehicle.

Irish kept the balloon lower than normal, wanting to just barely clear the buildings for his plan to better succeed. He'd been over a few other towns, where he'd dropped the invitations from the basket, letting them float down or be taken by the wind towards citizens at random.

Now, the cheerful young man did the same as he drifted above the city, repeatedly flicking envelopes from the remaining stack of fifty at the open space below. They gently fell and were wafted in different directions until they touched the ground or were caught by the people walking about.

In the downtown area, Rouge the Bat had begun her day, preparing her club to be opened whenever the employees arrived. She held onto a walkie talkie while taking extra care to dust the statues that dotted small sections of the casino lobby; and when she heard the crackle of a male voice come through the small speaker, it was her cue to meet with the staff.

She opened the big double doors and smiled at the bouncers who were waiting on the other side, then greeted the DJ and bartender as they walked in. Her bartender, a dark green fox, walked beside her and held up a sheet of mint green paper.

"Hey, Rou, look what just happened up town – someone was dropping these fliers from a hot air balloon." A laugh escaped his youthful voice and he handed her the paper. "I know you like parties – well, I guess it's not really a party, but... I thought you might want to know about it, anyway."

The shapely woman perused the paper as they approached the first-floor bar, then she smiled and looked up at him. "This is great! Thanks for bringing it in; I would've never known."

The two shared a chuckle and the fox took his place behind the bar. "Have fun! Tell me all about it later."

Rouge gave him a brief thumbs-up before heading back upstairs to the loft she'd made into her personal bedroom. And after flying up through the hatch that sealed off her private space, her silver heels thumped lightly on the thick wooden boards and across the small area to near the window, where her companion Shadow the Hedgehog lied eerily still on the extra twin mattress.

He was faced away, but the business owner suspected he was awake, standing next to the quiet lifeform with one gloved palm on her hip. The other hand briefly shook the green paper, rustling it while she cleared her throat to get her friend's attention.

After a silent moment, his deep voice asked, "What?"

"We've been summoned," she responded, her own tone smooth and lightened by a glossy smile.

His body turned slightly, enough to look at her with a single ruby eye. The dark hedgehog looked tired and already bored with the day, but not much grumpier than usual. "A job?"

"A party-"

An immediate groan from Shadow interrupted her statement, his form turning away again. She rolled her eyes, not surprised at his reaction, and folded the paper to be left on the nearby end table which occupied a corner. Her free hand gravitated to the other hip, both arms resting bent while Rouge looked down at him.

The irritable man grumbled, "Didn't we just go to one a couple weeks ago? What is it with you people..."

She sensed he wanted to say more, but he trailed off instead. With a sigh, she spoke, "Shadow, you've been in bed all morning. It's time to get up and do something with the day!"

He sighed as well, rather heavily, then groggily sat up and swung his legs to the side of the mattress. With the furrowing of his brow, he looked up at Rouge and replied, "Let me get my bearings. I wasn't planning on following your lead today."

"Take your time, hun." She watched him stand from the bed and stepped aside to let him pass, then turned towards him as he walked away. "By the way, slip on something green; the party invitation mentioned it's a tradition."

Shadow scoffed and knelt down to open the hatch. "Fuck that. If I'm going to this thing, I'm not wearing another stupid costume."

Rouge's eyebrows rose in surprise at his harsh reply, watching the hedgehog drop down through the open hatch to the floor below. 'Well, then... he's in a grouchy mood.'

Just outside the city, Sonic and his friends were arriving to the park where Irish was hosting the Lucky Picnic event. The area was a large, lush plot of land, with signs along the perimeter declaring it an authentic landmark.

The trees, bushes, and flowers were cared for by inhabitants who had a passion for the planet's natural beauty, allowing them to thrive in an environment where the buds would soon bloom. Each one of the gang were wearing something green, per the letter's suggestion.

The blue speedster himself had thrown on a thin, forest-green jacket to be shielded from the brisk breeze. Amy Rose sported big silk bows on both wrists, Tails wrapped an emerald-colored bandana around his neck, and Cream wore a crown made of clovers.

The group of four took in the sights of various picnic setups, seeing handfuls of green-clad people resting on blankets and sharing light meals from twined baskets.

A short wooden platform was planted near the center of the park, bearing a standing microphone and three thin podiums covered with blankets. Accompanying the platform was a speaker that played joyful, mystical music.

Amy carried the woven container with all of their food in it – and Tails held onto the blanket they would be sitting on. Now they just had to scope out the space and find a spot to lay out their own setup.

Sonic led them farther into the grassy place, and before long, he heard a familiar voice nearby. Looking to his left, the Blue Blur easily recognized his friend Irish by the loud, accented tone he spoke in; he was chatting jovially with a couple of guests not far from them.

"Hey, there's our host!" Sonic exclaimed with a smile. He took a step in Irish's direction, saying over his shoulder, "I'm gonna go say hi – you guys can choose our picnic spot and I'll catch up later."

Amy watched with dejection as her crush left their group, but was soon distracted by Tails pointing ahead and announcing, "Look, guys, that must be the table for the raffle."

The girls trailed their gazes over to a little table covered with a white cloth, erected a few yards away from the speaker. Walking over to it, they looked over the box-like contraption with a label stating, "Give coin – Get ticket," as well as the small sign next to it that read, "Raffle Entry – Feed the box a coin and take your ticket! Three lucky winners will be picked at random to receive an auspicious prize!"

Tails smiled and turned to his friends. "What do you think; should we enter?"

"It doesn't say what the prize is," Amy answered, "but if it's something really good, we don't want to miss out!"

Cream added, "It's only one coin. I think it could be fun!"

"Let's just get one ticket," suggested Tails, retrieving his coin. "That way we don't waste money if we lose, and we can share the prize if we win!"

With sweet smiles, the girls nodded and he slipped the gold disk into the slot in the top of the box. Something briefly whirred inside, then a ticket with the number 12 slid forth from the slit on the front of the box.

Tails took it and they all turned back around to search for a decent spot to set down their picnic supplies. Meanwhile, across the park, Rouge and Shadow arrived, devoid of picnic items but readily scoping out the atmosphere.

The white-haired bat showed mild interest in the venue as they walked farther in, wearing shiny jade studded earrings near the bottom of her large ears. Her partner detested the festivity almost immediately, cringing at the cheery music and disliking the overly-social aspect of a picnic event.

"This is already a waste of time," he sneered, gaining Rouge's attention. "There's nothing here for us."

"It is a little brighter out than I expected," mused the lady, "but there has to be something worthwhile to this holiday. It's not fair to hate it already."

"Hmph. We should have forced Omega to come along – at least then I would've had common ground with someone here."

Officially annoyed by his dour tone, Rouge stopped walking and turned to the hedgehog, causing him to stop, as well. "Alright, Mr. Doom and Gloom, I've about had it with your attitude today. You really woke up on the wrong side of the bed, but try turning it around and not being a complete downer."

He scoffed again, defiant of his teammate's statement, and dragged his crimson eyes away from her in a display of contempt. But the aversion of his gaze brought a mischievous smile to Rouge's face as she saw the chance to get what she wanted.

She pulled a pair of ring-shaped handcuffs from their hiding place, a tool she'd foreseen needing. Swiftly, the clever thief snapped one gold cuff around Shadow's right wrist, directly above his inhibitor ring.

The clinking sound of the clasp attaching drew the lifeform's attention, a mere second before Rouge quickly snapped the other cuff around her own left wrist.

Shock took over his demeanor and he glared at her, raising his voice to ask, "Handcuffs? Are you insane?!"

"If I am, it's because you're driving me crazy," she retorted, accusatory.

Her expression turned back to irritation as Shadow jerked his hand away, making her exclaim in an offended tone when her arm was brought along. She balled her fist and pulled back, locking her gaze to his and speaking sternly while she stood firm. "Don't forget, I can be stubborn, too. You shouldn't test me if you don't want to see it."

The hedgehog's brow furrowed more and his scowl deepened, then he reached behind his back to retrieve his Chaos Emerald – but was shocked again when he realized it was gone.

Rouge smirked, looking devilishly smug and revealing, "No way you're teleporting out of this one, Shad. Don't worry about the emerald, it's safe; I just swiped it and left it at Club Rouge."

"Damn you," Shadow grumbled. "I should've known to keep my guard up around a pickpocket."

"You have to admit I'm good." Her sly intonation was returning, the bat wrapping her cuffed hand gently around his arm. With her other hand, she began teasingly circling an index finger along the outside of his glove. "And since I'm the boss here, if you behave yourself, I won't force you to dance."

"Don't push it," replied the indignant man, who scorned her condescending flirtation by pulling his hand away.

A red and white checkered blanket was being spread out and set down by Tails in a spot with a decent view of the raised platform, where he assumed the raffle winners would be announced. He made sure not to be too near other groups, allowing plenty of space to set down their things.

But when he looked to Amy for help straightening the blanket, he saw she was distracted by something else. The pink hedgehog was gazing off with a curious expression, watching Sonic and Irish having a conversation in the distance.

When the pair broke into raucous laughter, her lips parted and she asked aloud, "What do you think they're talking about over there?"

Tails briefly looked over his shoulder at the chortling hedgehogs, then back to Amy. "They're probably catching up – after all, it's been a while since Sonic's talked to Irish."

"Hm..." wondered the girl, her mind wandering a bit too much for her own good.

Then Cream piped up, her sweet voice saying, "Amy, I think we should set up the food to be ready when Sonic comes back!"

Finally tearing her gaze away from the energetic exchange, Rose smiled down at Cream. "You're right, let's get started."

After the young rabbit grabbed the basket of food from Amy's hands, the other two finished straightening their blanket on the ground. Around the same time, the Blue Blur's empty stomach decided it was time for a meal. He wiped a single tear of laughter from the corner of his eye and grinned at Irish, then stuck out one gloved hand.

"Well, I'd better get back to my group before they miss me too much," he said, shaking the green hedgehog's hand once their palms connected. "It was great seeing you again!"

"Always a pleasure!" replied Irish, who used his free hand to raise the top hat from his head in a polite gesture.

When the speedster made his way to the picnic his friends had set up, he commented, "Man, that Irish is one funny guy! His jokes gave my stomach a workout, and now I'm hankering for a chilidog!"

Amy's eyes lit up at his statement, immediately thrusting her hands into the picnic basket to pull out a plastic box with two chilidogs inside. "Here, Sonic! I brought them just for you."

"Hey, thanks!" He took the box from her hands and sat down in between the pink lady and his fox friend, removing the box's lid while the others dug into their own prepared snacks.

A little while later, the event's festive host hopped up onto the platform that served as a small stage, stepping up to the microphone and clearing his throat before speaking into it.

"Thanks a million to ya all fer showing up to this Lucky Clover Day celebration!" he started, his accented voice reverberating across the park and gaining the guests' attention. "I hope yer all having the craic – just wanted to announce the raffle startin' in t'irty minutes! So, grab a ticket while ya can and have a chance to win one of t'ree glittering prizes!"

He gestured to the three blanketed podiums behind him, taking the microphone off of its stand and walking over to them. With dozens of people's gazes on him, the blue-eyed hedgehog began pulling off the short blankets, revealing the contents underneath as he spoke, "Beautiful as they are: ornamental Chaos Emeralds!"

Sitting in glass boxes atop the podiums were emeralds of powder pink, icy blue, and tea green. They shimmered when the coverings were removed, sun beams bouncing off the pastel colors and giving off the illusion of luminescence. A few people were audibly dazzled by the reveal, including Rouge, who was instantly interested by the gleam of the faux gems.

Irish continued cheerfully, "Now don't get ahead of yourselves! These jewels don't bear the same strength as the authentic emeralds; but their beauty is bewitching, and they're still a touch useful if you're of a powerful sort!"

With stars in her eyes, the treasure-hunting bat snapped her gaze to the raffle ticket table and pulled Shadow in its direction. "Ooh, I've got to get my hands on one of those gorgeous gems!"

Her companion grumbled apathetically as he was forced to follow, and his frustration grew a bit more as he stood next to her while she gleefully paid for a ticket.

The unhappy lifeform had his attention drawn elsewhere when he felt a sharp pinch on his left arm, crimson eyes blazing with agitation as he whipped around to face a nearby guest, yanking his arm back and balling his fists.

The beige panther jumped backwards, a bit startled by Shadow's aggressive reaction, but held a cocky expression while his pinched victim bared teeth and began shouting.

"You've got some nerve putting your hands on me!" He heard the other man snicker, then growled in response, "You think it's funny? You'll be lucky if I don't take you down for provoking me."

Rouge was familiar with the hedgehog's rising hostility and stood holding the balled fist that was trapped with hers, alert and ready to stop him if he tried to fight. But the stranger only antagonized Shadow further, replying obnoxiously, "Jeez, what's your damage? You should've worn green if you didn't want to get pinched!"

"Shadow..." uttered the ivory bat in a warning tone, her teal eyes trailing over to his irate expression.

Before the powerful man could commit to acting on his anger, a young tigress walked up to the panther, firmly planting one hand on his bicep with urgency in her eyes. "Babe, stop picking fights with people! Let's go!"

The rude guest's smirk dropped when his girlfriend flashed a stern look, and he walked away without another word while Shadow held his battle-ready stance and silently seethed. His posture didn't relax when Rouge slipped her free hand onto his right shoulder, squeezing and speaking in a smooth tone.

"It's alright, Shad," she said, trying to soothe the tension – though, she was starting to regret dragging him to the event. "That guy was an asshole. Just let it go... let me see if I won the raffle and then we can leave."

"I told you this was a bad idea." Her dark friend kept his fists clenched, straightening his stance and glaring at her. "Or do you just enjoy the needless discord?"

"Relax..." replied Rouge, dragging out the word and squeezing again. "I didn't know you were going to be this irritable."

"Then take off the damn handcuffs," Shadow hissed, shaking his imprisoned fist and causing her to let go.

His teammate shifted uncomfortably and her expression twisted to one of unease; the suspicion of her large ears lowering a bit made him apprehensive about what she was about to say. She responded, "Well... I can't. Not right now, anyway. I... I left the key back at my place."

Shadow's eye twitched at her confession, and for a moment, the woman feared he would simply start walking out and drag her along to the exit.

He was so still, his stare intense – and she stood in confusion at what he might be thinking, until the black and red hedgehog broke his silence to groan while slapping one palm to his face in frustration.

"Fine..." he spoke, his voice low. With the hand still on his face, he opened one eye to look at her and added, "I'll try to keep it together. But I won't be quick to trust you again after this."

While they talked, Sonic was finishing his meal and gazing around the venue; and when he looked over at the raffle table in the distance, he saw the pair's exchange as Shadow became more aggravated.

He could see them just well enough to recognize the handcuffs shackling them together, chuckling to himself as he deduced that Rouge had forced his rival to attend the Lucky Picnic.

The soft laugh caught Amy's attention, and she asked, "What's funny, Sonic?"

He finished the last bit of his food and pointed casually in Team Dark's direction. "Rouge and Shadow are here. Looks like he's got a bug up his butt, though; she must've convinced him to show up. I might call 'em over!"

The pink lady's eyebrows upturned in an expression of concern as she saw the black and red lifeform facepalm. "Please don't invite them to ruin our picnic... we're having such a nice time."

Sonic's muzzle was plastered with a smirk as he made up his mind to pester his long-time adversary. Feeling the mischievous spirit of the holiday, the speedster brushed off Amy's request and stared in Rouge's direction until she noticed him, then waved and flashed his teeth in a grin that beckoned her to approach. The bat ruminated for a second, then let her selfish nature take over before tugging Shadow towards the group.

"Where are we going now?" he asked when she started walking without a word.

Looking ahead, he noticed Sonic's crew directly in their path and instantly pulled back, saying, "No, Rouge, do not force me to interact with those-"

"I'm not," she interrupted, using all her strength to continue onward. "You can ignore them – I'm going to say hi. I might as well do something while I wait for the raffle to start."

They struggled against each other the whole way, which made everyone but Sonic nervous. Tails looked over at his blue friend with worry and spoke, "Uhh, Sonic? Shadow looks really unhappy..."

Still feeling daring, the green-eyed hedgehog chuckled again and said, "Yeah, he looks pissed. I wonder if anyone else noticed he's not wearing green."

Amy wanted to speak out, as well, but didn't have time before the dastardly pair reached the edge of their blanket. Shadow stood as far from them as he could, his brows deeply furrowed as he looked away; Rouge allowed her cuffed left arm to be pulled in her partner's direction so long as he wasn't fighting her.

Energetically, Sonic jumped up from his spot and exclaimed, "Hey, Rouge! Funny to see you and Shadow here. I really didn't expect you guys to attend an event like this!"

"I'm just here for the raffle," the bat claimed. "Can't miss out on the opportunity to take home a beautiful gemstone."

He nodded, his eyes trailing up to the jade studs adorning her ears. "Nice jewelry – I see only one of you knew to wear green."

In a flurry of motion, three actions occurred at once: Rouge opened her mouth to reply, Sonic bounded over their picnic blanket to land an impish pinch on the Ultimate Lifeform's right arm, and Shadow turned to counter the Blue Blur after hearing his mischievous comment.

In the split second after provoking his rival, Sonic just barely avoided an attack by swerving to the left when Shadow's free hand swung around. Amy yelped at the worrying sight and held onto Cream, ready to pull her away from the action while Tails jumped to his feet.

As the enraged hedgehog's fingers – positioned in the shape of a claw – strained towards the speedster, Sonic quickly slinked behind Rouge and chuckled cheekily while she struggled to hold her friend back.

Wrapping her gloved arms tightly around Shadow's right limb, the jewel hunter pushed her shoulder into his chest and extended her wings to either side, planting both heels firmly into the ground.

"Stop!" she shouted, then glared over her left shoulder at the blue hedgehog. "Sonic, you asshole! Just had to annoy him, didn't you?"

"Yikes," uttered Sonic, his crooked grin remaining as he scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, Rouge, didn't know his fuse was that short!"

The half-assed apology did nothing to stop Shadow from struggling against Rouge's brace, fiery eyes burning with fury at the smug hero. His compatriot raised her free hand and placed it against his furry chest, pushing heavily to move him backwards and raising her voice. "Alright, let's go, this is only getting worse! Stopping by was a bad idea – come on, Shadow!"

The infuriated man relented enough to walk backwards as Rouge pushed him, shouting at Sonic, "You'd better watch your back, coward! Cross my path again and you'll regret it."

Slightly embarrassed at the conflict he'd caused, the speedy prankster turned back to his friends, his awkward smile fading as they all stared with disapproving looks. He walked over to the blanket again and plopped down in his previous spot, saying, "Heh... I'll, uh... I'll just stay here."

While the pair got farther and farther from the group – being watched by nearby guests and the host himself – the stressed bat spoke to Shadow, "Okay, you made your point. You were right about not going over there, happy?"

The hedgehog stopped in his tracks and grabbed Rouge's wrist, halting her and staring a blazing gaze into her teal eyes. "Happy? You've lost it. And I'm losing it, being here. This is your fault, as stubborn as you are to have dragged me here; denied me the right to leave; forcing me to hang around on your time."

His grip tightened and Rouge leaned away, her expression turning shameful. He was right on all accounts, and she had to concede that she'd pushed too much. "Y-Yeah, okay... look, I just want my prize-"

"You don't even know if you'll win," Shadow said sternly, then raised his cuffed hand to position his thumb and index finger closely together. "Rouge, I'm this close to tearing my hair out over something so stupid. And if you make me stay much longer, I'll drag you back to the club, get these fucking cuffs off myself, and disappear for as long as I want."

The intensity in his tone was almost scary, even as he held back from lashing out. Rouge knew she couldn't physically keep him there, and she didn't want him to avoid her entirely due to her self-serving actions; so, it was either lose both the coin she'd given up and the chance at owning another emerald, or let Shadow reach his limit and possibly lose him as a friend.

Just as she was parting her lips to relinquish her material desires, they heard a few solid taps against the microphone that stood atop the wooden platform. Her teammate's red eyes gazed past her towards the green hedgehog preparing to speak, which made the bat turn around to look, as well.

"Attention, all ye lads and lasses: 'tis time to pick the t'ree lucky raffle winners," announced Irish, holding his own top hat filled with numbered strips of paper.

The ivory bat looked back at Shadow, but his eyes didn't move as he let go of her wrist. He stood still while the Clover Day host rummaged around in the hat and pulled out the winning numbers: "6... 14... and 17!"

Rouge's eyes widened and she swiftly pulled the ticket she'd bought from her chest piece, looking down at the number 14 and letting a grin spread before snapping her glittering gaze back to the silent being. Shadow's ruby eyes dragged down to hers; he still seethed a bit on the inside, but he nodded nonetheless, allowing her to retrieve the prize.

Sonic's crew shrugged at the minor loss of not winning one of the emeralds, instead clapping and watching along with the other guests as the lucky ones stepped up to claim their gems. As Irish congratulated them, Rouge lifted the glass box enough to take the icy blue emerald, then turned to Shadow.

"My, isn't it beautiful?" she asked, turning it back and forth to admire the way it reflected light.

She hadn't expected Shadow to rapidly reach for the faux jewel, snatching it from the bat's hand and holding it above his head. "Chaos Control!"

Rouge had just enough time to exclaim and stare in shock before white light surrounded them, blinding the other guests briefly. And in an instant, the bright flash disappeared – along with Shadow and Rouge.

A wave of awed murmurs stammered out from the small crowds, many of them confused while Sonic's group had expected nothing less from the incensed hedgehog.

Tails was the first to speak up about it, addressing his best friend. "You really pushed him this time, Sonic. I'm surprised he didn't leave sooner; handcuffed or not."

The blue man chuckled and leaned back to rest his weight on outstretched arms. "Yeah... I guess I feel a little bad. Sunny days and social crowds really aren't Shadow's thing – I can see how he'd end up being so angry."

"Didn't you have to apologize to Knuckles at the last party we went to?" asked Amy, sitting with both fists against her hips. "Looks like it's becoming a pattern with you."

"Hey, that was different! I just wanted him to have fun." He rolled his eyes and added, "Shadow, though? He's grumpy all the time. Ya can't blame me for that!"

In the downtown area of the city, the powerful lifeform had successfully teleported himself and his companion back to Club Rouge. They appeared in the treasure hunter's loft, where the white shine of the lesser emerald faded into nothingness; Shadow looked at her and tightened his grip around the gem.

"Tell me where the key to these cuffs are, or I'll break the emerald," he spoke, his voice monotone and serious.

Offended by his actions and his tone, Rouge furrowed her brow and replied, "Jeez, you don't have to threaten me! It's in the night stand, top shelf."

She half-heartedly pointed at the small table sitting next to her own bed, and Shadow carelessly tossed the gem into her hands. While he retrieved the key – along with his stolen Chaos Emerald – the annoyed bat disappointedly studied the drained jewel, noting that it no longer shone and now held a dull pastel hue. "Ugh, you tarnished its beautiful glow..."

"Hmph. I'd say that's a price you deserve to pay," Shadow retorted flatly, twisting the small key inside the golden cuff.

The curved prison snapped open and fell from his wrist, followed by the indignant hedgehog placing the key atop the nightstand before leaving Rouge's side.

She stared with an unhappy pout as he dropped his body lazily onto the spare mattress at the other side of the small room, closing his eyes and lying with his hands behind his head.

But even as she felt dismayed by the effacement of her prize, the disheartened woman didn't desire to argue or kick him out, instead allowing Shadow to rest as he wished.

#sonic fanfiction #ship fanfic #heartfelt holidays #heartfelt holidays chapter 3 #dracaria fics #shadouge #shadrouge #rouge the bat #shadow the hedgehog #sonic the hedgehog #saint patrick's day #writing

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dracarialove · 3 days

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📄F it, I'm posting my finished fics here, too 📄

Heartfelt Holidays

*Check the 'heartfelt holidays' tag if you haven't read chapter 1

[Chapter 2: Masquerade Merriment]

Sonic and his friends - as well as Team Dark - attend a Mardi Gras ball being thrown in town, enjoying the party until an accidental stumble causes trouble for all.

A bright yellow sun shone in the clear blue sky as the world's fastest hedgehog sped through a field of wildflowers, disturbing the tall grass and budding flora. The blur of blue and red whipped a strong breeze through the air and disappeared into a forest, where it zipped around trees and bushes to emerge on the other side.

Sonic the Hedgehog stopped in his tracks and leaned one hand against a tree at the edge of the rustling woods while swinging his left leg to rest in front of the right. Looking at the city he was headed towards, the carefree speedster drew in a breath and relished one last whiff of the natural earth to cap off his morning scenic run.

'Things are only getting prettier around here,' he thought, imagining how the wildflowers would look once they bloomed. 'Wish I could stay out longer... but man, does an early jog make me hungry!'

In a flash, Sonic disappeared from the treeline and rushed into the city in search of a filling snack. He slowed his speed once he reached a populated area and looked around for a place that served chilidogs, swiping one hand across his stomach when it started to growl.

Once he spotted the brown and yellow color palette of a food stand, he grinned and rushed into line, eagerly tapping one foot against the sidewalk behind three other customers. By the time the impatient hedgehog got his food, he was ravenous, walking away from the cart with a chilidog in one hand and four more in a takeaway box.

But he only took a few steps before something caught his eye: a colorful flier stuck to a light post. He ate his snack while reading the purple-colored paper, which advertised an upcoming holiday event in bright gold writing.

'A masquerade ball?' thought the young hero, tracing green eyes over the dramatic lettering. 'Never been to one of those!'

After shoving the final bite of the steaming snack into his mouth, Sonic snatched the flier from the light post and ran off to tell his friends about it; and to hopefully coax them into attending what he thought could be an interesting evening.

***

The workshop of his best friend, Tails, was his first stop. He spotted the yellow fox in the canopy-covered space between his home and the garage, cranking a wrench around a bolt attached to some unfinished project. Sonic strolled over, his stride energetic and his smile wide, and called out to the boy genius.

"Hey, Tails! Look at what I found!"

Hearing his dear friend's voice, a perky smile spread across Tails' white muzzle, and he looked up to gaze at the paper fluttering in the hedgehog's grip. "Good morning, Sonic! What's that?"

"It's a flier. Looks like there's a special holiday coming up, and I thought it sounded like fun! I just had to tell someone about it, in case anyone else wants to check it out."

Before Tails could respond, the pair heard a peppy female voice cut through the crisp air. "Oh, Sonic, there you are!"

The fox's gaze trailed past Sonic, and the Blue Blur himself turned around to see Amy Rose approaching. She was followed by Cream the Rabbit and her mother, Vanilla; the three ladies all held dessert boxes and smiled sweetly when the boys offered a friendly wave.

"Hey, Amy," Sonic greeted. "How's it going?"

"Lovely, thanks! We did a lot of baking this morning and thought we'd come by to share!"

Vanilla added, "We visited your house, Sonic, but it seemed you weren't home. What a nice coincidence that you're here with Tails!"

"Those treats sound delicious," the speedy man replied, giving her a thumbs-up. "I'd love to have some! And I was just telling Tails about this event happening in the city soon."

"An event?" Amy asked, looking curiously at the paper in his hand. "What is it?"

"A masquerade ball! Looks like it could be a lot of fun, so I knew I had to invite my friends to come along with me." Sonic handed Amy the flier and let her read the information aloud to the others.

"Looks like it's happening a week from now, in a ballroom on the other side of town." Her smile grew wider as she continued. "This says it's a formal event where we get to dress up in fancy costumes and masks – we can dance, mingle, and there'll be great food and music!"

Cream piped up, "You were right, Sonic! It does sound like fun!"

"So, you're all in, right?" the blue hedgehog asked, flicking his gaze between all of them.

Tails nodded. "Sure! I'll go if you guys are going, too!"

Amy, Cream, and Vanilla all agreed to attend, then offered up their freshly baked pastries; Sonic stayed long enough to partake and chat before asking his flying friend to take him to Angel Island with the intent of inviting Knuckles to the upcoming party. Tails accepted and opened up his garage, soon piloting a plane into the sky with Sonic riding on the wing.

***

Chilly gusts of wind blew against the metal bird, the air feeling colder with the higher altitude, but the young pilot's passenger was unbothered as he looked forward to landing on Angel Island.

He spotted the mountainous floating mass of land in the distance and admired the view of fluffy clouds around the tall peaks – as well as the sparkling waters that spilled clear strips down the edge of the island – while they closed in on the lone guardian's homeland.

Tails flew the plane as close to the ruins of Knuckles' home as he could, slowing his speed and bringing them in for a landing on the grassy plain nearby. The second the flying vehicle's wheels touched the ground, Sonic jumped from the wing and turned to his friend.

"I'll just tell Knuckles about the party and then we can head back," he said.

"Sure thing!" responded Tails, climbing from the cockpit. "I can wait here if it won't take long. I'm realizing my plane could use a bit of maintenance."

With a smile, the spry hedgehog gave him a thumbs-up before heading off towards the raised platform in the center of the ruins, where he would find Knuckles guarding the Master Emerald.

Ascending the stairs led him directly to the red echidna, who was lounging with his back against a stone pillar. As peaceful as he looked with his eyes closed, clearly comfortable to relax in the sun without a worry, Sonic couldn't wait for him to wake up naturally.

He chimed, "Hey, Knuckles!" startling the guardian as his slumber was disturbed.

"Ah!" the redhead exclaimed, eyes shooting open. He looked up to see his impulsive friend standing tall with an expectant grin plastered on his peach-colored muzzle. "Sonic! What're you doing here?"

"I came to tell you about a party I saw being advertised in the city," he answered, pulling out the folded square of purple paper he'd brought along. He began unfolding it and added, "It looks like fun and the rest of us are going, so I thought you should know about it, too!"

Knuckles stood from the stony ground and swiftly ran his gaze over the flier when Sonic handed it to him. "Hm, a masquerade ball? Not really my scene."

"Why not at least try it?" The speedster took back the paper and folded it up again. "There'll be food and music, your friends will be there – it'll be a fun night!"

"I'll pass, thanks."

"Come on!" Sonic dragged out his tone in an attempt to plea with the echidna, throwing one arm around him. "Get out of these dusty old ruins for a night and hang out with us! You don't wanna miss out on the festivities, do ya, pal?"

His persistence persuaded the other hero to give in to his request. Agitated and pulling away from the pushy man, Knuckles blurted, "Alright, fine! But I don't dance, and if it looks like a waste of time, I'm leaving."

"Deal," Sonic replied with a smirk, grabbing the purple-eyed protector's mitt and shaking it as if they'd made a formal agreement.

At that moment, the blue hedgehog's eyes drifted towards the Master Emerald and he spotted a figure peeking around the side of it; though, he only caught a glimpse of a white blur when whoever it was quickly slunk behind the giant green gem.

"Hey, who's that?" he asked, his gaze unmoving from the spot.

Instantly, Knuckles was on the defensive, and whipped in the direction that Sonic was facing. Readying for battle, he clomped over to where the figure had been spotted, while his friend strolled around the other way. And as Sonic rounded the opposite side of the sacred emerald, he saw Rouge the Bat from behind, crouched and backing away from where she'd been standing before.

"Hey, Rouge," he said casually, smirking again and placing both hands on his hips.

Rouge exclaimed softly and turned towards him, then heard Knuckles shout, "You!"

She instantly stood and began backing away from the jewel while the pair both walked towards her. "Drat – you boys are more observant than I thought."

"Trying to steal the Master Emerald again, are you?!" the redhead shouted, his fists raised.

"You should thank Sonic for saving your precious gem – if he weren't here, I would've succeeded!" Rouge's heels stopped clicking on the gray slate when she reached the edge of the platform. She almost took flight, but hesitated when Sonic spoke up.

"Well, while you're here, I might as well tell you about this, too." He reached to retrieve the flier again, but was stopped by Knuckles grabbing his arm.

"If you two want to chat, you'll have to do it away from the Master Emerald!" He looked at Rouge, his eyes fiery. "I don't trust letting you hang around for one more minute!"

"Fine, have it your way," responded Rouge, putting her hands up defensively. She pushed off the ground and punctuated her statement with a teasing, "You're always so testy!"

As the bat flew away, Knuckles growled and shouted out to her, "You're damn right, I'm testy – when you're sneaking around trying to steal sacred relics for your own selfish desires!"

With no more reason to be there, Sonic decided it was time for him to leave, turning back around and stretching his arms. "Well, I guess I'd better head off, too. Looking forward to seeing you at that party!"

"Don't hold your breath," the guardian countered.

Returning to the plane, Sonic met up with Tails just as he finished fixing a nick in the fuselage. "Ready to go, buddy?"

"Yep, all set!" The fox loaded his toolbox back into the plane while Sonic hopped on the wing.

"I think I'd like to change our destination," the friendly hedgehog commented, looking over at Tails while he buckled his seatbelt.

"Oh, yeah? Where to?"

"Rouge dropped in while I was talking to Knuckles, but I didn't get to tell her about the party before she left." He raised one arm to point in the direction Rouge had flown. "So, I think we should track her down; she went that way."

"You got it, Sonic!"

The glass pane of the cockpit closed and the blue hero held on tight as Tails piloted the plane off the ground, taking flight to catch up with the mischievous bat.

***

Annoyed that her millionth attempt at nabbing the Master Emerald had failed, Rouge zig-zagged through a dense green ocean of thick trees in search of someone to listen to her complaints.

She kept an eye out for the only other person whom she knew to wander the woods, expertly dodging branches and bundled flora while her straightened form cut through the breezy air.

The familiar figure of black and red noticeably stood out to her the moment her peripheral caught the dark color palette against the earthy greens and browns.

Recognizing Shadow the Hedgehog's steady stroll and the all-too-neutral expression of his profile to her right, Rouge slowed her flight enough to turn smoothly in his direction, swiftly rounding a bulky tree to appear in front of the lone lifeform.

"Hey, there. How'd you enjoy your time alone?" she asked, referring to the hour she'd taken to try stealing the Master Emerald.

Shadow stopped his stroll and watched the sneaky woman land on the grass nearby. "It was peaceful; something I can't quite have when you're around."

He smirked as her hands raised to grab her wide hips, continuing, "You know, I've noticed that the more you hang about, the more jarring it becomes when I have a quiet moment to myself."

"Which means you're realizing how nice it is to be around me, right?" Rouge asked playfully, jutting her hips to one side.

The black hedgehog didn't answer, still displaying a smug smirk as he started walking again. He seemed to be in a fair mood, or at least had become more lively with her arrival.

The treasure hunter looked forward to the times when he was in a wittier mood, since it typically meant that he was temporarily more pleasant to be around. She joined him at his side and took it upon herself to fill him in on the unfortunate encounter she'd had on Angel Island.

"So, anyway, my little trip ended up being a big ol' bust."

"How am I not surprised?"

"Well, it wasn't all my fault." The shapely lady rolled her eyes and a tinge of frustration lined her tone. "That sleepy echidna was napping away, as usual – if Sonic hadn't shown up, I'm sure I would've gotten away with that emerald in the blink of an eye."

"Hmph, so the nosy 'hero' ruined yet another brilliant scheme?" asked Shadow, half-joking. He was partly using the light sarcasm to mock Sonic, as well as teasing Rouge in the way she often did to him.

Her response was to push one palm firmly against his arm, briefly nudging her friend away in a light-hearted display of amusement at his jest. "Exactly that. I don't always have to be brilliant to succeed – sometimes all a girl needs is a little luck. And when luck just isn't on your side..."

She shrugged, holding her arms up and smirking at him in a way that implied she had no control over her failed thievery. Shadow chuckled and opened his mouth to combat her claim, but was interrupted when a strong gust of wind rushed up from behind and pushed against the both of them.

The bat and hedgehog halted, their distracted gazes catching a blip of cobalt rushing ahead, and were met with the Blue Blur himself standing still before them as the leaves of trees and bushes in the vicinity rustled.

"Heya, Rouge – Shadow," Sonic greeted, lifting one flat hand in a stationary wave.

The stoic lifeform's expression instantly changed to one of irritation, his smirk dropping into a frown and his brows lowering to glare at his unwelcome rival. "Sonic! What do you want?"

"So nice of you to ask; well, since Rouge took off before I got to tell her about this..." He pulled out the flier again, unfolding it with one hand and holding it out towards them. "... I figured I'd follow up and deliver it."

Smiling confidently, the spunky man waved the paper in front of them until Rouge grabbed it, then told her, "I didn't want you to miss out on the fun the rest of us will be having. You can go too, if you want, Shadow."

Shadow dragged his burning gaze away from Sonic and towards the paper, listening to the bat as she ran teal eyes over the bright lettering and spoke, "Looks like an advert for a fancy holiday party. You and your friends are going to this thing?"

"Yep!" Sonic answered. "And you're welcome to join us!"

"Well," Rouge started, before her disagreeable friend could decline the invitation, "It's certainly an interesting offer. We'll think about it."

"Cool! Don't be afraid to let loose. Anyway, you can keep that flier – I gotta get going."

The ivory woman looked up at him just as the blue hedgehog added, "See ya!" and sped off, rustling the foliage again and leaving behind a wispy blue line that started to fade once he was out of sight. Shadow's voice then cut through the air, his tone harsh.

"There's a dozen things I'd rather do than attend any event Sonic's going to. Certainly, it'll be a waste of time."

As her eyebrows furrowed at him, Rouge replied, "I don't think so! This party looks like it'll be quite extravagant, if you ask me. We should go."

"You can't be serious." His face was stony, his scowl deepening. "Nothing good can come from hundreds of people crowded together in one space – no matter how big the venue may be. It's a recipe for trouble."

"You're being too pessimistic!" the jewel hunter piped, folding up the purple paper and stuffing it away. "Bottom line, if we go together, I'll make sure it's a fun time. Remember, you promised you would go to more of these holiday events with me!"

"I don't recall swearing on my life..."

"Please?" She took a step closer, sweetening her voice and touching his shoulder. "Everyone will be wearing a festive mask, so it's possible no one will even recognize us if we cover our faces, too. We'll be disguised the whole time."

Shadow looked away and his volume lowered. "Hmm... I don't trust it, but you seem eager for this outing..."

Staring at the ruby-eyed hedgehog, Rouge waited for him to settle on a final decision, knowing that any further comments she made might annoy him into refusing.

His expression slowly softened and his demeanor steadily relaxed; likely recovering from the tenseness he'd felt in Sonic's presence. Then, he looked back to her and spoke in a calmer tone.

"I'll go. Only to honor my word, and because you shouldn't have to attend alone – on the condition that we leave when I say so."

The corner of his close friend's glossy lips curved slightly, pleased by his answer, and she gave him an amiable wink. "Sure thing, sugar."

***

Over the next week, everyone who knew about the masquerade ball took the time to look for costumes and masks befitting the colorful holiday – even Vector the Crocodile, who'd seen the advertisements himself and was convinced that the woman he pined for would be attending.

The scaley man kicked himself for not being able to bond with Vanilla during Valentine's Day, but he was determined to make up for it if he saw her at the ball. And although the rest of his team decided not to go, he double-checked with Espio a day before the event, secretly wanting a close friend around for support.

"Are you sure?" he asked the chameleon, who was meditating in a corner. "It'll probably be a lot of fun!"

"I will be fine here," Espio's deep voice replied, his eyes closed.

"Alright, but don't expect me to help you look for a tux if you change your mind tomorrow!" The crocodile walked over to the doorway and added, "I'd better get plenty of rest if I want to be on top of my game."

Charmy piped up from his spot on the couch, "Good luck, Vector! Tell us how it went when you get back – I wanna hear all about it if you embarrass yourself!"

His boss glared at him briefly, but then transitioned his annoyed frown into a toothy smile. "Good thing I picked out the snazziest outfit in town. There's no way I could fail to impress Cream's mom with style on my side!"

Vector left the room with a confident stride, even though Charmy burst into snickers as soon as the door closed behind him.

***

The next day, Sonic was finishing up a hyperactive afternoon run, which was followed shortly after with the devouring of chilidogs leftover from that morning's purchase.

And as the hour approached when he had agreed to meet with the others, he opened up his small closet to pull out the costume he'd acquired for the evening: a plain emerald green vest with silky trim in a slightly darker hue; dress shoes colored a bright gold; and a simple masquerade mask of dark green and indigo.

He hadn't wanted to get too fancy with the dressings, not worrying about how unadorned he would look. Once he was dressed for the occasion, the blue hedgehog rushed off to Tails' house, where they'd agreed to group up before heading out.

The young fox and his friend Amy were already chatting by the time Sonic showed up, both wearing outfits a bit more festive. Decorated in different shades of purple and green, Tails sported a long-sleeved shirt with gold buttons up the middle; a pair of black slacks with gold embroidery down the sides; purple and green dress shoes; and a shiny mask carrying the same colors, the height of which covered the length of his face up to his spiky bangs.

Meanwhile, the pink hedgehog was clad in a ball gown of white and gold. A thick strip of black silk was tied around her waist, which exaggerated the curve of the dress puffing out around her legs; the skirt reached to her ankles, offering a peek of golden slippers upon her feet. The short sleeves puffed around her shoulders, and she wore a slimmer, curvier mask colored violet and covered in silver glitter.

"Wow, you guys look great!" Sonic commented, mentally preparing for Amy to respond affectionately.

She did, beaming and bounding over to him while saying, "I knew you'd think I looked beautiful! I found the best dress I could, just for you!"

"Heh, well, anyway – where's Vanilla and Cream?" He took a step back from Amy and looked around. "They're coming along too, right?"

Tails answered, "I think so. We can head over there and meet up with them!"

The speedster nodded and the three of them walked in the direction of Vanilla's home, soon spotting the two rabbits and greeting them. Cream was dressed in a frilly mint green dress with white and yellow ribbons tied around her waist, which sat a cute bow against her back; on her feet were plain yellow boots, and on her face was a mask as simple as Sonic's, colored lime green.

Her mother wore a long flowy dress similar to her typical style, with a color scheme resembling her daughter's outfit – the majority of the top and skirt were a lighter emerald green, and two golden stripes lined the rounded collar, joining into one and running down the length of her dress to the bottom.

Her long green sleeves were made of chiffon, making them see-through, and gold cuffs snapped around her wrists to hold the thin fabric in place. The woman's deep gold mask was tall enough to hide her entire face above her muzzle, and sprouted a single green feather up from the center.

Tails complimented cheerily, "Woah, nice costumes!"

Amy added, "Very beautiful, you two!"

"Thank you!" squeaked Cream, elated and blushing.

Then, Vanilla asked, "Are we all ready to go?"

"Yep!" answered Sonic, turning to lead the way as the sun began to sink past the horizon. "Follow me!"

The ballroom on the far side of the city was massive, with two pairs of giant double doors marking the entrance and exit. The outside walls were decorated in accordance with the holiday; two large pictures of Mardi Gras masks were displayed on either side of the doorways, and long paper strips in the shape of beads stuck to the dark bricks, wrapping themselves around the building's perimeter.

A white banner stretched across the front of the structure, with the words "Masquerade Ball" printed in purple to advertise the event. The party wasn't lacking attendees, as handfuls of citizens trickled in and out of the venue, lively jazz music spilling out onto the street whenever the doors opened.

And when the group of five pushed open the wide double doors, they were hit with a crisp and jovial atmosphere, the smell of catered food; as well as the energetic mix of saxophone, piano, and trumpet jumping from large speakers placed in each corner of the expansive room.

The walls were a sleek shade of pearl, the floors a shiny hue of honey, and a crystal chandelier hung from the high ceiling to glitter above dozens of dancers' heads.

The section that was considered a dance floor had been outlined with strips of white paper stuck to the gold vinyl – buffet tables covered by purple cloth were lined up on either side of the ballroom, offering different types of food and drink near the walls to guarantee sufficient space between them and the dance floor.

But as much as the venue owners had spaced everything out, the place still seemed packed, nearly flooded with masked guests all drinking, dancing, and mingling.

As Sonic's crew walked farther into the huge, singular room, he looked up to admire the decorations strewn about the higher sections of the walls. Purple, gold, and green were everywhere in the form of more paper pictures of masks, as well as streamers that spun down nearly to the floor.

"Damn, this place looks incredible!" the blue hedgehog marveled.

Tails agreed, "Whoever threw this party went all out! I guess we won't have to worry about being bored!"

Amy then turned to Sonic and grabbed his hand, her smile wide as she pulled him in the direction of the dance floor. "Come on, Sonic, dance with me!"

"Uh, could we maybe check out the buffet table first?" he asked desperately, being denied and ultimately conceding to Amy's request.

Tails chuckled as the three of them were left behind, turning back to Cream and Vanilla and suggesting they get something to eat. They made their way towards one of the tables to peruse the food and drink options.

Atop the long surfaces were assortments of meat snacks, as well as fruit and veggie platters; pastries in the way of fluffy cakes decorated with yellow and violet frosting, and fried fritters topped with a thick layer of powdered sugar; finally, sizable bowls of punch and bottles of wine for drinks.

They picked out a few of the things they wanted and stuck closely together, chatting amongst themselves and idling into conversation with other partygoers nearby.

None of them recognized anyone else behind their costumes and masks, but they took the opportunity to just enjoy the atmosphere and have pleasant exchanges with the other people having fun.

While Sonic's gang found their places in the lavish ballroom, a certain luxury-loving bat walked into the establishment alongside her uneasy date.

Adorning Rouge's curvy figure was a fancy silk dress of royal purple and vivid gold; the top formed a heart shape over her bust and hugged her waist, fanning out into a layered skirt that transitioned back and forth between amethyst and amber.

Her dress nearly touched the floor, hiding the woman's black pumps which nudged the frilled silk outwards with each step. She'd ditched her usual gloves for something fancier, choosing long black satin instead of the white cotton and pink cuffs.

Each black-clad hand held something special, the fingers of her left wrapped around Shadow's arm while the right gracefully gripped a green folding fan embroidered with shimmering yellow swirls.

Her pretty face was a mystery behind her large, curvy mask. It reached up from her muzzle to cover the length of her eyes, glittery dark purple bordered with matte black and complementing her dazzling teal irises.

The top of her mask carried a plume of tall feathers, proudly displaying all three of the holiday colors. And to add more mystery to her appearance, Rouge wore navy blue eyeshadow, which she coupled with red lip gloss instead of pink.

Less elegant was her quieter counterpart, who sported an unassuming blazer of dark, dull red – though the velvet material made it seem black under most lighting – with a subdued orange-gold ascot tucked under the collar to hide his chest hair.

His mask was the largest he could've found, unfortunately colored a warm and inviting yellow but thankfully wrapping a bit along the sides of his face. The upper hem curved into a point that cupped the top of his highlighted hair, covering some of the red stripe; it was the best way he could hope to hide his identity, unable to switch out his gloves and shoes for something more inconspicuous.

But as they stepped into the venue, Rouge wasn't worried about either of them being recognized. She guessed, by the number of people gathered in the refined ballroom, that it was unlikely for them to run into anyone they disliked. Noting all of the unidentifiable partygoers, she looked over at Shadow and squeezed his stiff arm.

"You don't have to be so tense," her smooth voice said, keeping her volume low enough that only he could hear. "No one will know who we are here. I know relaxing is difficult for you, but you're allowed to chill out tonight."

The hedgehog's red gaze shifted over to his charming companion and he forced himself to untighten his muscles, giving her a nod before silently taking in all the surroundings. As they went on into the room, steadily wading around other people, Rouge lightly fanned herself and looked up at the hanging decorations.

"Oh, it's just so beautiful in here!" she gushed, gaining an extra twinkle in her eye. "So fancy, so decorous- ooh!"

Her gaze snapped towards a well-dressed waiter making rounds through the crowd, carrying a platter of hors d'oeuvres high above his shoulder; he approached the pair and lowered the plate, offering an array of meager-portioned foods to anyone in the vicinity.

Among the gathering of guests accepting the savory snacks, Rouge happily joined in, slipping her hand off of Shadow's arm to take a tiny meat pastry. In the bustle of partiers moving about, and with his date's grip no longer holding him captive, the calculating lifeform took the opportunity to slip away from the socialite bat.

He quickly disappeared past the small mass of brightly-costumed strangers. By the time Rouge finished the delicious serving of finely prepared food, he was out of her sight, and she soon felt the annoyance of realizing that he'd escaped her.

In a sea of partying patrons, there was no way she would be able to find him as soon as she'd like – so she simply let her agitation disappear with a sigh and began meandering around the ballroom to drink in the atmosphere alone.

Arriving after Rouge and Shadow was Vector, his dapper attire a white dress shirt with a bold gold suit jacket on top. A black bowtie accented the collar and he wore a spiky emerald green mask, hoping the color would blend well enough with his scales that Vanilla would recognize the crocodile when he approached her.

Immediately, he began looking for the kind lady, honing in on any lengthy set of rabbit ears he saw amongst the crowd. And as he was too distracted to consider the fault in his plan, it didn't occur to him that his crush's attendance wasn't guaranteed.

With masks obscuring the face of every guest in the room, Vector endured a handful of disappointments as each woman he approached denied being the one he was looking for.

Regardless, he held his composure as much as possible in the face of unknown patrons and didn't let the rejection get to him, continuing to excuse himself around the other people and keeping his eyes peeled for Cream's mother.

Meanwhile, Sonic had been coaxed into waltzing with Amy to the rhythm of sweeping piano and bombastic trumpets. He humored her desire to spend the moment with him, but silently thought of how he could end their dance when her adoration became a little too strong for his liking.

Still, the blue hedgehog didn't want to ruin the girl's night, and certainly didn't want to cause a scene if he ended up being the reason for her sorrow on what was supposed to be an enjoyable evening. The waltz wasn't so bad, even a bit of fun for Sonic – so he stuck it out a little while longer to indulge her dream.

Amy's soft green eyes gazed dreamily at him as she spoke, "We really don't do stuff like this often enough. And I think we should make more of an effort to try new things together! If you would just slow down enough to give our relationship the attention it needs, we could be the strongest couple on the planet."

The speedster chuckled and exhaled nervously, then replied, "I don't know about that, Amy. Nothing's certain!"

"Oh, stop being coy!" One of her eyebrows furrowed in an amused expression and the hand that held Sonic's tightened affectionately. "I'm serious, you know. This would be the perfect time to ask me out if you were thinking about it – you don't have to be shy."

Unsure of how to respond, he opted for clamming up instead, giving the enamored dame an awkward smile and upping the tempo of their dance in an attempt to distract her from the topic.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the building, his friend Knuckles was pushing open one of the double doors to see what kind of supposedly exciting action the bustling ballroom had to offer.

His garments were of green and yellow, different shades of each crawling across his dress shirt in an artistic arrangement of stripes and diamonds; the imaginative patterns made up for the fact that he chose not to change his shoes or gloves.

Adorning the echidna's face was a wide mask, almost square-shaped, colored half-black and half-gold. He avoided bumping into anyone and looked around casually, trying to decide whether he liked what he saw or if he wanted to bail already. Secondarily, he scanned the crowds for Sonic and the others, though he doubted the probability of finding them.

Tails, Cream, and Vanilla still hung around near the buffet tables, chatting with a few other guests and filling up on delectable foods. And as Vector's search brought him closer to the tables, as well, his orange eyes spotted something familiar: a pair of yellow twin tails belonging to someone he knew to be one of Cream's friends.

His excitement rose when he recognized the young fox, looking at the two rabbits next to him and heading their way the moment he identified Vanilla standing beside her daughter. Nearly stumbling over his own feet, the crocodile tightened the bow accenting his collar, rehearsing in his head what he was going to say to her.

The group's voices became clearer the closer he got, and Vanilla's sweet, mature tone was making him more nervous than he thought he'd be. When he finally reached them, Vector cut into their conversation a bit awkwardly, nearly interrupting the end of Tails' sentence.

"Is this a great party or what?" he started enthusiastically, in an attempt to seem charismatic. "It has to be the best one I've ever been to – what about you guys?"

The other partiers, who didn't know the tall reptile, smiled and agreed. But Tails recognized him instantly by his voice alone, picking up on the throaty rasp of his intonation. It didn't take much for Vanilla to figure out his identity, either; and when she smiled kindly at him, Vector's grin grew.

He didn't know for sure if she'd seen through his costume, assuming that she would be just as polite with anyone else. So, he pretended to not recognize her either, speaking as if she were an unknown woman.

"Hey, you look like you're a great dancer," claimed the detective, trying to sound smooth. "I can't say how, but I have a sense about these things. Would you like to have a waltz out on the floor?"

Vanilla giggled warmly, amused by his attempt to sound cultured and sophisticated. "Sure! I appreciate the offer."

Turning to Cream, she spoke with affection, "Stay with Tails, dear. I'll be back soon."

"Okay, Mother!" The rabbits hugged and Tails gave Vanilla a wave as she walked away with Vector, the crocodile striding confidently.

While Sonic's friends were finding their enjoyment among the crowds attending the lively soirée, Shadow was weaving around groups of people and wandering farther into the ballroom.

He kept near the wall, not wanting to chance getting nudged out onto the dance floor, and preferring to stay along the less-occupied edges for control of his own personal space. Soon he found an arrangement of different wines taking up one half of a buffet table, along with empty glasses; red, white, and sparkling were the options, and he chose to have a drink of something on the bitter side.

After filling half a glass with red wine, the quiet hedgehog continued wandering leisurely, using his freedom to take in the sights and even mildly enjoying the atmosphere – which he found more admirable when he was merely spectating the festivities.

The other half of the neutral-aligned pairing also wandered, her fan flittering cool wisps of air at her tan muzzle. Rouge made passive eye contact with a couple of strangers as she attempted to pass around them, which the men took as an opportunity to start a conversation. The click of her heels ceased when they smiled and turned her way.

"Evening, miss," the first greeted in a melodic tone, bowing slightly towards her in a gentlemanly gesture. He was wearing a jet-black mask, which sat above a white muzzle and covered an azure-furred face, the eye holes revealing dark chocolate irises; and a stark white vest worn over a purple long-sleeved button-up shirt.

"Good evening," responded Rouge, mirroring his smile and looking at the other guest when he spoke.

"Have you been enjoying this enchanting evening? You look lovely." The second of the strangers sounded younger and moved a bit more energetically. The distinct shape of his ears gave him away as a lynx, gray fur disappearing beneath a distracting mask that hid his entire face from forehead to chin – colored white and gold, it resembled a laughing face, and only showed the heterochromia he possessed. One eye was icy blue, the other a bold shade of chartreuse.

Rouge cocked her head to one side and said, "Why, thank you. I haven't gotten to indulge in much just yet, but I sure don't plan on letting the night go to waste!"

"You'd better not!" the azure patron chuckled. "You dressed far too beautifully to not bless the dance floor with your presence."

Mildly flattered, the bat raised an eyebrow when he extended one gloved hand and asked, "I'd love to accompany you for a few twirls on the next song."

Instead of offering her own satin-wrapped hand, Rouge covered part of her face with the fan, taking a step to the side as she began the process of excusing herself. "Sorry to disappoint, but I'm actually here with someone. I'm off to find him, but I hope you boys have a wonderful time."

Both of the masked men watched her go before turning back to one another, and the lavishly-dressed treasure hunter started scanning her gaze over the gatherings of partygoers.

She hoped to catch even a glimpse of Shadow or his brightly-colored mask, making mental notes of the dance floor's ever-shifting availability. With luck, she would be able to convince the reclusive lifeform to join her for a dance, a slim possibility that she wanted to try for while she had the chance.

After all, she reasoned, there may not be another day more befitting of a friendly tango, and the likelihood of Shadow agreeing to such an activity would only get weaker as the night went on.

Out on the dance floor, Sonic had successfully taken the lead and started slowly scooting the two of them farther from the center of the room.

While he spun the pink hedgehog around other couples, he kept her distracted with conversation that toed the line of what she wanted to hear. "I'm glad the city has stuff like this going on. I was starting to think it was getting boring around here!"

"Me, too!" Amy's grip on his shoulder tightened as she relished the feeling of his hand holding her waist; it was difficult not to swoon in the Blue Blur's presence. "Especially if it means we can get closer by going out to more of these events."

"Sure! I think all of us will be able to build stronger bonds through fun parties every now and then." He smiled at her, but it soon faded when her expression changed.

"Sonic, can you slow down?" she asked, her voice a bit wavery through a half-smile. "I think we're spinning too fast."

"Whoops, sorry!" The speedy hedgehog complied, then looked to see that they were right by the edge of the dance floor, where the white line separated it from the rest of the room. "We should take a break – I don't want you to feel sick!"

Amy opened her mouth to counter his request, but couldn't do much about his hands slipping away from her. The blue man stepped outside of the dance area and ushered her towards the buffet tables, while the disappointed girl frowned and informed him of wanting another dance soon.

Sonic responded, "Sure thing, but let's grab something to drink for now. It's not a good idea to move around so much being dehydrated!"

They joined up with Tails and Cream, going as a group to partake in the flavorful punch resting in a deep glass bowl. There was another guest pouring a cup when they approached, a redhead with long locks and big plush mitts covering his hands; which Sonic recognized as Knuckles' attire.

"Hey, Knuckles, is that you?" he asked, walking up to the patron and eyeing the two-toned mask on his face.

His friend was taken a bit off-guard, not expecting the hedgehog to have found him, but soon smiled when he saw the whole group trailing closely behind. He chuckled, "Sonic? Uh, yeah, it's me. Man, you guys look so different behind those masks."

Primping her short hair, Amy replied, "We look great, don't we? Finally, a reason to wear something really nice! But I didn't expect you to show up!"

Knuckles shrugged. "Eh, I decided to come by for a look around, but I might leave soon."

"Heh, I don't think so!" retorted Sonic, raising one index finger. "You're with us – and we're having a good time! Why would you wanna miss it?"

The echidna chuckled again and smiled a little fuller. "I guess I'll stick around, then."

Tails chimed, "We're glad to have ya, Knuckles! This is shaping up to be an awesome night!"

The music bumping from the ballroom speakers steadily shifted into slower songs, lowering the energy a bit as the mood became calmer. Long, deep saxophone notes accompanied lively taps of piano keys, the more romantic vibe accented with faint sounds of trumpets.

It was a soothing break in the middle of the zestful masquerade – one that Vector was grateful for, having barely fumbled through a couple of songs without embarrassing himself.

His determination to impress Vanilla kept him more graceful than usual, doubly aware of his footfalls and the space around them. And if she was regretting accepting his offer to dance, she wasn't showing it.

The motherly woman held a serene smile the entire time, which made it easier for him to keep his nerves under control, as well. Deciding it was time to make a proper move, the scaley detective started off with a compliment.

"Your grace is fantastic." As soon as the words left his mouth, Vector felt embarrassment at the awkward wording; so much for making a fool of himself, he thought. "Uh, I mean, you're very graceful!"

His dance partner giggled and briefly squinted her eyes to a close, finding his flustered expression endearing. "Thank you! I'm glad to be attending this ball, there's so many friendly people here!"

"That's right! What better place to meet someone than at a fancy party?" He blushed when she opened her eyes again to stare a pretty caramel gaze past the green mask and at tangerine irises. "... So, does that mean you're having a good time dancing with me?"

"Of course," she answered sweetly, a tranquil lilt to her tone. "You're very nice."

The crocodile was speechless at her respectful admiration and chose not to push his luck by attempting a reply. He smiled wide and gained enough confidence from her sincerity to dance with genuine passion, rather than the timid steps he'd been taking before.

Meanwhile, a lone hedgehog had been half-mindedly watching them – as well as the other dancers – while leaning his back against a wall. Shadow finished the last sip of red wine in his glass, then felt a decisive grab on his arm as feminine fingers wrapped around the velvet sleeve of his blazer.

His head turned and crimson eyes widened, the dark lifeform being met with Rouge's smug smirk and the intensity of her teal gaze beneath navy eyelids. Her fan had disappeared, though he didn't ruminate on what she'd done with it.

"Finally, I found you!" she exclaimed, loosening her palm to reposition it affectionately on his bicep. She looked down at the empty cup in his hand and continued, "I see you've had a drink. Does that mean you're feeling a little more fun?"

He let out a breathy chuckle, confirming her sentiment without the use of words; Rouge could see in the curl of his lips that her stoic date wasn't so tense anymore.

Shadow seemed as relaxed as he could possibly be in a room full of people, relatively unbothered in his spot nearer one of the speakers. And because of that, the bat was less worried about being turned down when she offered her free hand, gracefully outstretching it and lifting her pinky finger higher to seem more elegant.

"Would ya honor me with a dance, handsome?" she asked, sliding her other palm down the length of his arm.

Shadow looked at her hand, then back at Rouge, the vague curve of his smile sticking despite her normally-unwelcome offer. He still hesitated, unsure of whether or not he wanted to commit to walking out on the floor – let alone to dancing, something he very rarely did. "You know how I feel about that. What would you bribe me with if I indulged your request?"

The ivory lady grinned, still holding out her gloved hand, and felt her cheeks flush faintly at his modest banter. It wasn't quite flirty for normal standards, and especially not when compared to her level of teasing, but Rouge saw so easily through his feigned disapproval. A dance was pretty much guaranteed, but he always had to make her work a little bit harder to get what she wanted.

"How about a kiss?" she suggested with a wink. "A pretty good trade-off, I'd say. It can even be our little secret, if you like."

The slight change in Shadow's expression was even more subtle behind the mask, thick gold material obscuring his coy acceptance of the deal. His view of Rouge as solely a teammate had been transitioning to a more personal connection since even before Valentine's Day, but especially since then.

At the end of the night, he might not go through with kissing her – silently questioning whether or not she was even serious about it – but he'd been interested to see with what she tried to entice him. In hindsight, it wasn't much of a surprise that the flirty woman went straight to romance, but he conceded to himself that he should've seen it coming.

After a moment of silence between them, Shadow pushed himself from the wall and swiftly returned his empty wine glass to the nearest table, then faced Rouge and lifted his dominant hand to take hers.

"Let's go, then, before the night escapes us."

The glamorous jewel hunter's stride quickly overtook his slower steps, until she was walking ahead of him, their gloved fingers hooked and the hedgehog being tugged closer toward the handfuls of happy interlinked couples.

As a favor to him, she scoped out a relatively spacious spot; one with plenty of clearance to not knock into the other dancers. Rouge then turned to Shadow, her shiny red lips pulled into a gleeful smile, and she put her left hand on his shoulder while the other repositioned to rest more comfortably in his palm.

The aloof guest slipped his free hand around her waist and cleared this throat, then broke eye contact and spoke uneasily, "I might not be the best on my feet tonight..."

When he trailed off, Rouge smoothly interjected, "Don't worry about it. I don't mind leading."

He didn't want to admit that he was talentless at dancing, even if it was something he typically had no interest in. But being around so many other people and having his physical movements dictated by his closest friend in an intimate context made Shadow more self-conscious about his abilities.

Regardless, he didn't let his pride push him into taking the lead anyway, instead allowing Rouge to make the first move and following her direction as they started off slow. Luckily for the couple, once they started dancing, the floor very steadily opened.

Over the next few songs, other dancers trickled out of the white-bordered area, which allowed a little more room for the bat to take her date closer to the center. So focused on keeping his motions smooth, Shadow didn't keep in mind how much of the floor they were traversing.

And as Rouge herself became wrapped up in the fun of gracefully twirling both of them around other waltzing guests, she unknowingly inched closer to the other side of the golden space.

Sonic and his friends had stepped away from the buffet table after filling their cups; the five of them beamed with conversation and laughter for a while, hovering near the white line that separated them from the dancers.

Shadow's steps were beginning to stall the longer they danced, the dark hedgehog losing his grace while his partner's pace rose. Hesitating to say something was his mistake, and when Rouge performed a twirl in which only their hands were gripping each other, the momentum of her body leaning away from him was more than he was prepared for.

Her fingers slipped from his, sending the surprised woman stumbling over the floor's white border. With Sonic's gang nearby, she unfortunately bumped roughly into Knuckles' right side, knocking his arm and spilling his punch on the sleeve of his colorful dress shirt.

"Shit!" the echidna exclaimed, looking at the stain while regaining his balance.

His gaze burned as it snapped in Rouge's direction, who was hastily backing away from him with her mouth agape. Everyone else was stunned at the sudden interruption, including a couple of nearby partygoers who'd witnessed the fumble. Sonic's green eyes shifted back and forth between the aggravated Knuckles and the embarrassed masked lady who'd run into him.

Amy and Cream were covering their mouths; Tails' expression was one of distress; and Shadow pulled himself out of the startle to silently assess the scene. A fang-bearing scowl was spread across Knuckles' muzzle and his purple eyes blazed at the adorned bat.

"Watch where you're going!" he shouted.

For a moment, Rouge's lips couldn't successfully form the words to respond, her mind indecisive between apologetic and defensive. When she did start to speak, he pointed at the white line and interrupted with, "There's a border here for a reason. You could've wrecked more than just my shirt being careless like that!"

Sonic put his hands up and chimed, "Woah, hey, relax! It was an accident-"

"Maybe you shouldn't have been standing so close to the line," Rouge retorted, her eyebrows furrowing under her mask. She recognized the echidna once she got a better look at him – the ill-tempered outburst was unmistakable as one of his trademark qualities. "Anyone can trip, even if they don't have big clumsy feet."

More of the guests' attention were being drawn to the bickering pair, including Vector and Vanilla, who paused their dance to look over with concern. The second Knuckles started to growl in frustration at Rouge's snide remark, Shadow stepped in front of her and faced the angry guardian himself.

He only saw the tension rising from there, and would rather be the one to fight if it came to blows – at the least, it would make the event more interesting, he thought.

"This argument is over," the serious lifeform stated, staring at Knuckles.

"Who are you to give orders around here?" asked the angry redhead.

Shadow's brow furrowed deeply and Rouge stepped forward to grip one of his arms. She told him quietly, "I can handle this. I'll just apologize and we can-"

"No." Offended at his refusal, the bat scoffed, and Shadow continued squabbling, "It would be best if you just went home. I would get that stain out before it sets."

"Telling a stranger to leave, as if you have the power here? How arrogant can you be?!"

The others stood by watching them argue, on edge wondering if a punch was about to be thrown – Sonic and Rouge were both on their guard, ready to jump in if either threat came true.

The echidna and the hedgehog spoke harshly back and forth for a few seconds, telling each other to back down while not willing to walk away themselves.

More masqueraded patrons became interested in the commotion, and when Rouge had had enough of the increasingly-ridiculous dispute, she approached Shadow again and grabbed his arm more firmly.

At the same time, Knuckles took a step forward, his irritation growing and his fists balling; the staunch lifeform's fists balled as well, but the echidna's advance was stopped by Sonic stepping in and gripping his shoulder.

The ivory bat spoke in a low volume once more to Shadow, solemnly urging, "Stop escalating. This isn't the place to fight."

While she talked to the glaring red-eyed hedgehog, Sonic told Knuckles, "Hey, let's all just be cool, here. There's no reason to let this little mistake get out of hand."

His frustrated friend's gaze turned to his, and the speedster offered a smile while continuing, "We can all still have a fun night. I can even help you clean up that shirt later, if you want."

"Don't bother," Knuckles responded, calming down. "I'm outta here – I didn't even want to come to this thing, anyway."

Sonic's hand slipped from the echidna's shoulder as he turned to walk away, and the rest of the group relaxed a bit when they saw the hostility between the two guests quickly dying. Shadow turned as well, walking in silence with Rouge when she tugged him towards the other side of the room.

There was a bit of whispering and speculation among the people who'd crowded around during the tension, the semi-circle of gathered patrons dispersing as Knuckles and Shadow left the area.

Still standing together on the dance floor, Vector and Vanilla responded differently to the confrontation; the crocodile let out an exaggerated sigh, while Cream's mother merely arched her eyebrows in worry.

"Man, that was dramatic!" commented Vector. "I really thought those guys were gonna fight!"

"It was quite worrying..."

He looked over at Vanilla and made his face calm when he noticed her frown, then held out his hand. "Would you like to continue our dance?"

"I'm sorry, but I should probably get back to my group," she responded, giving him a weak but polite smile. "Thank you for your company!"

She bowed slightly and he stuttered, "Oh, uh, s-sure! I mean, no, thank you!"

Vector watched his crush walk away towards her daughter's friends, then decided it was best if he went home for the night; though, as he left, he cursed the arguing guests for interrupting their moment.

Meanwhile, Rouge led Shadow to a wall far from Sonic's group, and turned to face him. Her pleading gaze met his seething crimson eyes as both hands calmly cupped his arms.

"Okay, that was tense – and I know you probably want to leave, but..." The unease in her voice made him close his eyes and let out a long, soft sigh before she finished her sentence. "... we can still salvage the rest of the night."

The black and red hedgehog gently shook her hands from his sleeves and opened his eyes again, making eye contact with the tentative woman. "You want to stay after that?"

Her hands floated towards each other and she absent-mindedly fidgeted with one pinky finger, replying, "Well, sure. He's gone, so the problem is solved now, right? I don't want you to bail just yet."

Shadow's body language calmed as his shoulders lowered to rest loosely; he looked down at the bat's hands and grabbed one, stopping her from fidgeting and holding it informally for a moment.

In a cool tone, he said, "I won't lie to you – I'm not in my element here. This place is uncomfortable for me, these people..."

He looked out at the crowd as his sentence trailed off, then looked back to Rouge. "Maybe I was a bit incensed when our dance was interrupted."

Navy blue lids raised and their hands parted. Shadow continued, "I see you trying. I may not always agree with your plans, but it's not the first time you've known what was best for us; even just as a team. So, I'll stay if you like, however obnoxious I find this event to be."

The fancily-dressed lady shook her head, lips curling into a smile. "You shouldn't have to do that, even for me. I have to be fair to my partner, which means upholding my side of the bargain. You kept your word, and I said we could leave when you wanted, so..."

She slipped one hand around his arm again, as if he was escorting her. "... we can go. Although, I wouldn't be opposed to continuing our dance elsewhere."

"A more secluded place?" he asked.

Rouge nodded, earning a half-smile from the hedgehog. With his spirit uplifted a bit, he approached the nearest buffet table and grabbed one of the wine bottles, suggesting, "How about we share one drink before we go?"

"It couldn't hurt," agreed the jewel thief, shrugging briefly before grabbing an empty glass for herself.

Vanilla regrouped with the rest of her party, which kicked off a conversation about the tiff between Knuckles and Shadow. Though they started off theorizing about the other guest's identity – getting closer to the conclusion that his mannerisms and some of his garments were identical to the Ultimate Lifeform – Tails eventually shifted to worrying about Knuckles.

"You think he's okay?" he asked Sonic. "I haven't seen him that angry in a while."

"Sure, he's okay," replied the speedster, unflinchingly confident. "That hard-headed echidna's tough as nails. But I can check on him, just to be sure."

"That might be a good idea."

Tails and his heroic friend shared a nod of understanding before Sonic turned to track down Knuckles. When he walked out into the night air, he found the guardian stomping across the street outside the bustling ballroom. "Hey, Knux!"

His companion stopped on the sidewalk and turned back to look at the blue daredevil, his face no longer covered by a mask. He wasn't fuming anymore, but still carried an unpleasant frown and stern eyes; though, he allowed Sonic to approach and chat with him.

"Sorry about that whole ordeal," Sonic spoke, smiling awkwardly. "That other guy was way out of line. Anyway, I hope you're not going home angry; Tails was worried."

Knuckles let forth a content snicker and his frown turned into a smile. "I'm fine, don't worry about me. I'll just be catching up on some well-deserved rest... and committing this event to memory for the next time you try to pressure me into attending a party!"

The Blue Blur laughed, then gave him a thumbs-up and a flashy grin. "You know what, Knux, you earned it! I'll try not to bug ya too much from now on."

Respectfully, the echidna nodded in a gesture of acceptance and farewell, then turned his back to Sonic and continued on his path home. The costumed hedgehog turned as well, heading back towards the lavish ballroom and into the party, where he met up with the rest of his group to continue the boisterous festivities.

#sonic fanfiction #ship fanfic #heartfelt holidays #heartfelt holidays chapter 2 #dracaria fics #shadouge #shadrouge #rouge the bat #shadow the hedgehog #sonic the hedgehog #mardi gras #writing

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dracarialove · 4 days

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📄 F it, I'm posting my finished fics here, too 📄

Heartfelt Holidays

As the year goes on, Sonic and his friends celebrate some of the festive annual holidays that give them a reason to party and socialize! And during these events, two members of Team Dark will find excuses to spend more time together.

Main Ship: Shadow/Rouge

Other Ships: Sonic/Amy (one-sided); Vector/Vanilla

*Originally published Feb. 14th, 2022

[Chapter 1: Rouge's Valentine]

After being invited to a party, Rouge notices one important guest is missing and seeks out Shadow's company, despite his loner tendencies.

The middlemost morning of February carried a clear sky and brought bright strips of daylight through the thin slits in Rouge's bedroom curtains. She stayed in bed so long as she was able to ignore the glaring beams, but couldn't withstand them as the sun rose higher above the top floor of Club Rouge.

It was just as well, she conceded, for her employees would be arriving soon enough to open the club; so, she pulled herself out of bed and dressed in her signature outfit, then brushed her teeth and hair before going downstairs to let the club staff open for the day.

She took a stroll to the nearby post office to check her mail, passing shops and restaurants that advertised Valentine's Day products and services.

'My, don't those look nice,' she thought to herself, admiring a pair of heart-shaped earrings in a jewelry store window.

She looked to her left, then her right, making a mental note of the abundance of bystanders present on the sidewalk. 'Too many people around to think about taking them... for now.'

Moving on to the building that stored her mail, the bat unlocked and opened the sleek metal box, pulling out a single envelope before closing it again.

The rectangular sleeve was colored a pastel pink, with a small red heart sticking it shut – Rouge turned it over in her gloved hand, looking for the sender's name, and saw curvy letters spelling out 'Amy Rose' on one corner of the paper.

'A letter from Amy?' she wondered, her eyelids raising curiously. 'On Valentine's Day?'

Looking up at the bold blue sky, she let the crisp breeze coax her into flying atop the post office, sitting on the roof to read the letter in private. As she slid her finger under the heart-shaped sticker, Rouge saw a hint of white card stock, soon pulling it out of the envelope to gaze at the front.

It was a plain white greeting card with red glittery letters that spelled out "Happy Valentine's Day!"

'How sweet of her to send these out,' the lady thought, slipping her thumb into the crease of the card to prop it open.

The same curvy lettering was present on the inside, showcasing Amy's handwriting as it read, "Rouge, I hope you'll join us for a Valentine's Day party at my house. It's going to be SWEET! - Amy"

The ivory jewel hunter smiled to herself as she considered attending the event, then slid the letter back inside the pink envelope. 'Well, it is a special occasion... why not?'

***

The bubbly hedgehog was placing down a platter of sprinkle-topped sugar cookies for her guests when she heard a knock at the front door. The inside of Amy's modest home was filled with partygoers who chatted and sampled the various snacks and sodas covering the counters and tables.

Most of her friends were in attendance – as well as a few plus-ones they'd decided to bring along – and upbeat instrumental music played in the background while they laughed and talked amongst themselves.

Rose strolled through the scattered crowd, excusing herself around acquaintances to open the door. Rouge was her newest arrival, standing at the entrance with a greeting card in her grip.

"Rouge!" the girl exclaimed. "So glad you could make it!"

"Sounded like a good time," the bat explained, looking down at Amy's outfit. "Seems you've updated your wardrobe for the occasion."

The young hostess clasped both hands behind her back and grinned, proudly sporting a dress and boots identical in style to her typical look with inverted colors.

Cherry red accented the snowy white, and she wore a scarlet heart-shaped sticker on each of her peachy cheeks. "Thanks! I couldn't pass up the chance to show off my new dress to Sonic!"

She giggled and Rouge held out the card, saying, "I gotcha this."

"Oh, wonderful!" Amy took it from her hand and gestured inside the house. "Come in, everybody's here!"

The bat walked through the doorway and gazed around at the clumps of guests all standing together and mingling. Some she recognized – like Sonic and his crew – but others were strangers, so she simply looked around for the first person she felt like talking to.

Across the room, she spotted tall white plumes standing higher than the other partiers' heads, which she recognized as hair belonging to Silver the Hedgehog.

Rouge made her way over and found Blaze, Tails, Vector, and Espio standing alongside Silver; some were holding plastic cups, and they seemed to be having a simple conversation until they noticed her approaching.

"Hey, guys," greeted the charismatic woman, waving at the group.

"Hey, Rouge, good to see you," Silver said, briefly raising his cup in lieu of waving back.

Vector commented, "Man, everybody's showing up to this thing! I don't know if Amy can fit any more people in here!"

The rest of them chuckled, then carried on with light conversation until Rouge got curious about what they were drinking. When she asked, Blaze pointed towards a long table sitting against a wall.

She said, "There's soda, water, and Amy set up a bowl of cherry punch for everyone."

Teal eyes noticed a familiar acquaintance when the white-haired lady scanned her gaze across the table – Knuckles the Echidna filling his cup with a ladle of ruby-hued punch. Rouge lowered an eyebrow mischievously as she saw the opportunity to tease him, then walked over to make her presence known.

Strolling up behind the redhead, she cleared her throat before speaking, "Well, well, look who I found."

Knuckles turned and furrowed his brow a bit when he saw her, his mouth pulling into an annoyed frown. His gruff voice rushed forth with a snappy comeback. "Great, who invited you?"

"Hm!" She smirked, holding eye contact and raising one hand to rest on her hip. "I'm surprised you resisted the urge to show up at my doorstep begging me to be your plus-one."

"Ha! As if I'd ever want to invite you anywhere," Knuckles responded, turning more as he began walking past her.

"Wait!" Rouge reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks. "Didn't you get me a gift?"

He flashed his fangs and snickered. "No. Why, do you think you deserve one?"

"I'd consider you boneheaded if you didn't think so," she teased, still smiling playfully while crossing her arms.

"Think of me what you will – I don't donate to thieves!" The echidna's smirk remained as he turned his back to her and walked away, hearing Rouge scoff.

She uttered mockingly, "Touchy!" before pouring herself a shallow cup of punch.

Wandering around the living room of Amy's house, the pretty bat sipped her drink and followed the music. It led her to the boombox sitting on an end table, where Sonic the Hedgehog was casually leaning his weight on the wall and tapping his foot to the beat. His green eyes lit up a bit when he saw Rouge, and he smiled as she walked over.

"Hey!" he greeted, snapping his fingers once and pointing at her. The tread of his shoe continued to thump on the carpet while they talked. "Didn't know if I'd see you here – no plans for Valentine's Day?"

She shrugged. "Not really. I figured something would be happening. If I wasn't here, I'd be off picking out a nice present for myself."

Sonic chuckled, "Just can't keep your sticky hands off the expensive stuff, huh?"

"Ugh, you're the second person now to harp on me for my extravagant taste." Her glossy lips curved into an amused smile.

"Let me guess: the first was Knuckles?" he asked, one brow lowering as he grinned.

It was her turn to chuckle as one gloved palm moved to rest on her hip again. "He really is that obvious, isn't he?"

Sonic shrugged playfully, and there was a moment of silence between them. The mingling bat took a swift look around and noted that someone was missing from the party. She looked back to him and asked, "I don't see Shadow anywhere; did he not get invited?"

Once again, the blue hedgehog's shoulders touched his muzzle. "I think Amy invited everybody. Even Omega's around here somewhere. But you know Shadow, this isn't really his scene. Stubborn guy like him? He probably threw out the letter without even opening it."

"Hm..." Rouge's free hand left her hip and raised to cup her chin. She tapped one finger below her lips, then replied, "I should pay him a visit. Do you have an idea of where he might be?"

Sonic took a second to think, looking up at the ceiling and rubbing his own chin in contemplation. "Maybe somewhere outside the city. Beyond that? No clue."

Before Rouge could thank him for the suggestion, she heard Amy's voice from behind. The pink hedgehog emerged past a handful of guests and vaguely addressed them both before beaming at Sonic. "Hey, guys, hope you're having a good time. Sonic! You have to try the cupcakes I just made – it's a new recipe, they're so good!"

She stepped forward and grabbed one of his hands, tugging her royal blue crush even while he urged her to tone down the excitement. He chuckled nervously at Rouge and shrugged as Amy pulled him along, then disappeared past the crowd of people, leaving the bat to consider making her exit.

She finished her drink, searched for a trashcan, then noticed a few hand baskets sitting on the living room table when she began making her way to the front door.

Looking them over, she could see various chocolates, candies, and pastries filling the white woven receptacles. They were presumably for everyone, by the way they were displayed, but Rouge couldn't resist temptation.

'No one will really care if I only take one, right?' she justified in her mind, shifting her gaze around to ensure she wasn't being stared at. 'Besides, a certain someone's missing out on all these goodies!'

Her hand wrapped around the wicker handle of one basket and she smoothly slipped it off the table to stick by her side. The thieving woman walked past a handful of guests – who seemed too preoccupied with their conversations to notice her kleptomania – and out the front door with not a proper goodbye said to anyone.

***

Rouge took a leisurely stroll through the city on her way to find Shadow. She felt light on her feet as the clear sky shone warm light over everything, and the cool breeze blew past to kiss her tan skin before she could get too hot. Perfect weather – even if it was a little bright for the bat's liking.

Her hips swayed confidently and her heels clicked on the smooth cement sidewalk. The basket rocked back and forth with the gentle swinging motions of her grip. Rouge's smile was unfaltering, and she gazed once again at the passing shops, all done up in heart-shaped decorations to celebrate Valentine's Day.

Her walk was disrupted when she looked through the large window of a jewelry store. Instantly, her turquoise eyes were drawn to a wristwatch sitting in the center of a flashy display; made of shining solid gold, it twinkled in the light that reflected through the glass pane. Dazzled by its beauty, Rouge stared as her lips parted to flash white teeth in a delighted grin, followed by a mischievous idea.

'Maybe I should be bringing Shadow a proper gift. He does look good in gold...'

With no one in the immediate vicinity, she figured she would have enough time to swipe it and escape without being noticed. So, she pushed the door open, hearing the bell above it chime to announce her presence, and walked in.

The clerk standing at the counter looked past the customer browsing the ring selection; Rouge smiled and raised her hand briefly to indicate a wave, which gained a smile from him before the customer asked a question.

Aware that she needed to let the employee forget about her existence, the sneaky woman pretended to browse necklaces in an enclosed glass box right beside the window display.

She waited a minute, listening in on the conversation between the store clerk and his customer. Peeking out of the corner of her eye, Rouge decided to make her move when he opened his counter to pull out a ring.

As he showed it to the customer, describing its components to push the sale, she took a quick look around to make sure no one would see her approaching the display. It was tempting to steal more than just the watch, but the skilled bat knew better than to take a risk by grabbing more than what she'd gone in for.

So, the golden accessory was swiftly lifted from its velvet pillow and stuffed away. Rouge was exiting the store before the jeweler had even finished his sales pitch, and she relished the jingle of the bell as the door closed behind her.

The jewel hunter didn't linger in front of the store, quickly pushing off the ground to take flight – she held Amy's stolen basket close to keep it level, then chuckled triumphantly into the open air and used her free hand to retrieve the watch from its hiding place.

"What a beautiful piece of jewelry!" she said out loud, amazed by the white gleam reflecting off of the expensive metal. She turned it over a few times in her hand, admiring the craftsmanship as much as she could before the glint became overwhelming. "Shadow better appreciate my thoughtfulness in gifting him something so precious."

A carefree Rouge set off to look for her loner friend outside the city, coasting over buildings and peering out at the mountainous, forested area spreading past its borders.

She wasn't able to see anything resembling Shadow until she passed the outskirts of the city; once she scanned her gaze over the grassy cliffsides, she finally spotted a distant black splotch among the green terrain.

'Aha! Target in sight,' she thought, then zipped towards the dark figure.

As she got closer, the bat confirmed that it was the Ultimate Lifeform occupying the slope of the lush cliffside. He was lying on his back, resting on the earthy ground with both hands behind his head. His eyes were closed and he looked to be at peace, though his mouth curved downward in its natural dull frown.

The slight breeze rustled his fur, and as he lay perfectly still, Rouge wondered if he was asleep. Her heeled boots settled in the grass as she landed, staring curiously at the black and red hedgehog while holding the wicker basket with both hands.

Before she could take a step, Shadow's lips parted and his deep voice filled the tranquil air. "Who's there?"

Surprised at his alertness – and amused by his no-nonsense nature – the white-haired lady smiled and took a few steps towards him. "Your best friend Rouge, of course. Who else would be able to find you out here so easily?"

He kept his eyes closed and remained quiet for a moment, then calmly asked, "What do you want?"

The hedgehog heard her scoff softly and silently predicted the sarcastic remark that would follow. She said, "It's always business with you, isn't it? No friendly hello for your closest ally?"

Shadow was still as a stone, opening his eyes slowly to adjust underneath the glaring sun rays. His gaze fell on Rouge, her dim silhouette standing near his legs, sunshine spilling around her figure as it hit her back. He didn't linger too long on her face, dropping his eyes to the basket in her hands.

"I figured you were used to my coldness by now," he replied, trying not to sound playful.

He didn't like to participate in Rouge's banter, since she usually ran with it more than he cared for, but it was difficult to come off as disinterested as he wanted; the resting man was in a good mood, a rare occurrence.

And his partnership with the charismatic bat had brought them close enough that bits of her teasing tendencies had rubbed off on him, occasionally tainting his tone with a tinge of jest while in her company. She always saw through it, as she did in that moment, letting out a short chuckle and shifting her weight to one foot.

"It's Valentine's Day, you know," said the smooth-talking treasure hunter. "We missed you at Amy's party."

Looking back up at her, Shadow's mouth pinched into a slightly deeper frown. "Hmph. How many meaningless holidays am I supposed to care about on this planet?"

Rouge stepped closer, causing the hedgehog to finally pull himself up from the ground. His gaze followed her as he sat up straight, then looked into the white basket when she set it on the grass between them. She sat down next to him while he studied the gathering of sugary foods.

"Look," the bat began, "I know being drab is your style, but would it kill ya to have a little more fun? At least try some of these specially-assorted snacks."

Conceding to her request, Shadow reached into the basket and grabbed a chocolate cookie covered with red frosting. He took a moment to wonder how the dessert could be considered anything more than a simple cookie. Rouge decided to claim a heart-shaped box of chocolates for herself, pulling it out of the basket and opening the plastic.

The unimpressed hedgehog asked, "What makes them so 'special,' exactly?"

His friend plucked one of the chocolates from its indentation and held it up, as if to illustrate her point. "They're a labor of love! You think people put together basket arrangements every day?"

She popped the chocolate into her mouth; Shadow didn't quite understand what she was getting at, or even why anyone would put such effort into something seemingly trivial.

He ate the cookie, but didn't react much to its flavor, then looked over the rest of the basket with apathy. Though he generally liked the treat's taste, he noted that he clearly wasn't getting as much enjoyment out of it as Rouge.

"It's nice, I suppose." His attention was back on her, noticing the smile she held while chewing. "But I can't see myself putting up with Sonic and the others just for this."

The personable woman closed up the heart-shaped box, putting it back in the basket and swallowing her snack before speaking. "Well, then it's a good thing I decided to hand-deliver it to you. And, I even had the idea to nab this for you on the way over."

She made eye contact with Shadow and revealed the golden wristwatch – his expression turned to subtle wonder, while her sweet smile widened into a mischievous one.

Lying in her palm, the jewelry glittered once more in the sunlight as she held it out towards him. The taciturn lifeform stared at the twinkling object, a bit confused but also impressed.

"Hm, that's quite the accessory you've swiped – at no cost, undoubtedly." He couldn't help but smirk with the teasing remark as his ruby eyes ran back up to her teal ones.

Rouge raised her free index finger and pressed the side of it to her lips in a silent shushing gesture, then winked playfully. Following her silence, Shadow let his smirk drop and asked, "But why get such a thing for me? I haven't got much use for a watch."

He witnessed the lady's smile drop as well; her eyes rolled in slight annoyance, and she let out a sigh before prodding the watch at his chest. "Oh, Shadow, be materialistic for once in your life! You'd really reject my gift?"

The dark hedgehog's smirk returned against his will, faintly entertained by her insistence. He took the watch into his own palm and responded, "Of course not."

Rouge's impatience faded with his acceptance of the stolen item, and she started to smile again as she watched the golden band wrap around the cuff of his glove. He spoke while settling it around his wrist, "I hope you don't expect me to get you something in return."

Her index finger lifted once more to rest innocently against her muzzle. "Hm, well... to show the same generosity wouldn't kill ya."

Both of their smiles lingered as they looked at each other, Rouge's expression silently asking him to return the favor while Shadow's suggested he may be thinking about obliging. She couldn't tell for sure – his vocal tone was so dry most of the time, it was difficult to tell when he was being sarcastic.

The watch's band clasped around his wrist, drawing the pair's attention. He raised his arm to study the accessory at a different angle, turning it a couple of times to watch the gold reflect in the sunlight.

Beside him, Rouge leaned closer and said, "Looks nice, doesn't it? The shine really brings out your eyes."

The bat's smirk was playful when he turned to gaze at her, and they sat silently for a brief moment while he lowered his arm again. There was a subtle air of tension between them; Shadow could just barely feel it rising, and noticed how close she'd gotten to him. But they didn't move, and she broke the tension shortly after by speaking.

"Tell ya what: come to Club Rouge later tonight. I'll close it up and we can enjoy the relaxing atmosphere, just you and me." Her head tilted to one side and her eyelids rose to display an inviting demeanor. "You can even stay in my loft for the night. I've got a spare bed, so you can sleep on a nice, thick mattress for a change."

When he didn't respond immediately, she added, "And it'll give you time to find me a gift! What'ya say?"

Rouge's long eyelashes fluttered for a moment, once again silently asking her friend to accept. He considered it, then received a happy smile from the lady when he answered, "Sure."

Shadow then experienced a thin wave of compassion from her reaction, feeling compelled to follow up with, "I suppose I'll pay Omega a visit before heading your way."

The ivory bat sprung to her feet, her smile still wide, and he could feel the difference in her energy – heightened from her resting state after having her offer accepted. "Now that's the spirit!"

She bent over and grabbed the heart-shaped box of chocolates from the basket, then turned and began walking away. "I've gotta go, but feel free to enjoy the rest of those desserts. See ya later!"

A quick wave predated her takeoff, Rouge leaving the cliffside and flying back towards the city. The hedgehog watched her go for a second, then turned to look down at the woven basket sitting beside him. He made the decision to try enjoying the gift as something special before reaching for another snack.

***

Club Rouge's alluring owner waited until sundown to close up the casino. Once the patrons were gone and the place was tidied for the night, she dismissed her employees and wished them a happy Valentine's Day; walking out with them, she stood by the entrance and watched them all leave.

The bat looked around in case Shadow was nearby, scanning the street and then letting her gaze trail over the nearby buildings. In the darkness of nightfall, she spotted the hedgehog's barely visible form standing on a rooftop, looking down at her.

They locked eyes, and when Shadow saw her smile, he took it as his cue to teleport down to her level. He flickered out of sight, and Rouge's eyes snapped to his new position when he reappeared beside her.

"Good evening, Rouge," he greeted, still in a better mood than usual.

"Hi," she started, the nuanced tone of her voice dripping with maturity. However, her timbre became warmer and more complimentary when she looked down and noticed the golden watch glittering around his wrist. "Oh, you're still wearing it! So, you did like it?"

He smirked and briefly crossed his gaze over to the accessory before looking back to her. "Well, you went through so much trouble to grab it for me, I figured I should appease you and wear it for a little while."

"Is that your sarcasm again?" the treasure hunter asked playfully, balling her fist and resting it against her hip.

"Of course," he answered truthfully. "I do like it."

Gratitude crept into her expression as she turned towards the entrance. "I knew it wouldn't be a waste. Come on in!"

She opened the door for him, letting the hedgehog walk into the lobby. The first thing he noticed about the normally-flashy night spot was how calm the atmosphere seemed to be. The bright lights of the slot machines weren't blinking wildly, and the overhead lights were dimmed.

Instead of electric techno, the speakers were playing soothing jazz, and the building was empty, as Rouge had promised. He allowed a soft smile to touch his lips while his companion locked the double doors behind them. The muffled shuffle of her heels on the carpet then drew closer, as did the jingle of the club keys; she stepped next to Shadow and smiled.

"How about we go up to the lounge for drinks?" she asked in a friendly tone, walking with him. "I've got food, too, if you're hungry."

"I could go for a glass. And maybe a light meal." He didn't force his smile to falter when he saw her eyes dart towards it – he knew the bat had a fondness for the moments when he showed contentment, and he trusted her enough that he didn't feel the need to hide the occurrence.

The third-floor lounge was as dim as usual, and the same soothing jazz played through the speakers that dotted the corners of the room. The two of them walked past couches and four-person dining tables towards the bar, which occupied the back wall.

Rouge stepped behind the dark mahogany counter and opened up the mini freezer while Shadow made himself comfortable on one of the bar stools. She took out a small pizza and got the hedgehog's approval before popping it into the toaster oven to bake. Then she opened up the drink fridge and pulled out a bottle of sparkling wine.

"How about some champagne?" the cheery woman asked, propping the green container on her left palm while gripping the bottleneck with her right.

Shadow nodded and watched with interest as Rouge removed the cork, being reminded of the jewel thief's strength as she pulled it out of the bottle without much effort. A tinge of excitement rose in his stomach, the hedgehog surprised at the feeling of being anxious to give her the gift he'd brought. But it wasn't difficult for him to contain any eagerness he experienced, easily concealing the emotion and accepting the glass of champagne that was handed to him.

With a twinkle in her eye, the lady began pouring her own drink and said, "Thanks for visiting, by the way. I didn't have any plans for the holiday, so it's nice to spend the evening with someone."

One of his dark eyebrows lowered in curiosity. "I thought you went to that party you'd mentioned earlier?"

"Yeah, but that was just a quick thing," she replied, swatting the air with her free hand and carrying the fizzing glass around to his side of the bar. "It was alright, but... truth be told, I left because you weren't there."

Shadow's brows raised, his crimson eyes following her smooth walk over to the bar stool on his left. It was expected for him to skip out on events, but he was somewhat surprised that Rouge hadn't intended to spend the day with Sonic's crew.

He'd always thought her to be incredibly social – especially compared to himself – and assumed she actually enjoyed their company. He tried not to stare at her curvy figure when she lowered herself onto the cushioned seat, forcing his expression back into its neutral state.

"And why's that?" asked the skeptical hedgehog. "You weren't exactly missing the life of the party."

She swallowed her sip of champagne and responded candidly, "I wanted to spend time with you! Just because we work together sometimes, doesn't mean I want our personal relationship to be based on that. Some days I'd like to see you socializing with the rest of us; you know, shoot the shit every once in a while?"

A breathy chuckle escaped Shadow's lips before he could stop it, taken a bit off guard by her straightforward answer and the informal wording in her honesty. There were many things Rouge was good at, and speaking her mind was a big one.

He could always expect her to combat his cynical view point with a casually thoughtful response that instantly challenged his dour outlook. Her quick wits were part of what made her so intriguing, and he had to give her credit for that.

"Alright," uttered the hedgehog, swirling the yellow-orange drink in his glass. "I get it. I'll think about making an appearance to some of these holiday events you like to attend. Is that good enough?"

Rouge gracefully clutched her champagne glass with both hands and grinned softly, her bright eyes staring into his. "Hey, if you're willing to make an effort, I'll take it! And I hope you know what I'm all about in saying this. I just don't want you to miss out on all the fun these kind of get-togethers have to offer. I know you like to believe they're a waste of time, but just trust me; chances are, you'll make some great new memories if you expand your lifestyle."

"Yeah, sure," Shadow quipped, teasing her a bit. "I still have so much to learn from you, don't I?"

The elegant bat laughed, one hand raising to her muzzle as her eyes closed. It made his smile widen, and he prepared to give her the surprise that'd been waiting to be revealed. When her laughter subsided to a chuckle, Rouge let out a sigh and began coyly primping one of her curled locks while looking at her drink.

Shadow decided to take a few gulps of his chilled sparkling wine once she raised her glass for another sip, then heard a restrained exclamation resonate from the young lady's closed mouth, as if she had just gotten an idea.

"I can't believe I almost forgot," she spoke, then placed her drink on the bar top before excitedly clasping both hands in her lap and leaning towards him. "Have you got my present?"

The enticingly mysterious man lowered his own glass and smiled at her once more, feeding into her anticipation as he nodded and reached behind his back. Rouge looked down and saw in his strong gloved grip a violet Chaos Emerald.

Her eyes widened drastically and her jaw dropped when he held it out towards her. The gem glimmered in countless hues of purple, bringing a sparkle to her eyes as she gasped.

The bat's left hand shot up to cover her lips. "Shadow! A Chaos Emerald?!"

He didn't add to her reaction – though Rouge's elated expression did make him feel good about his gift choice – instead calmly saying, "I know you like them."

Her twinkling teal orbs were glued to the emerald as she used both hands to scoop it from Shadow's palm. She praised, "I love it! I wasn't expecting something this nice! A gorgeous Chaos Emerald... how did you even find it?"

The jewel-lover's gaze switched to Shadow, her grin unwavering while he spoke, "I used my own to scout out its location. It really wasn't that difficult to track down."

Despite the hedgehog downplaying the effort he put into obtaining her favorite gem, Rouge took it as the ultimate sign that he cared about the present she received; at least enough to think about what she would want more than anything. Her left hand floated to her cheek and her lids lowered, eyes still sparkling at him.

"Well, nothing can compare to this!" she said gratefully. "It's the best present I've ever gotten!"

Shadow turned to grab his drink from the bar top, lifting it and responding casually, "Don't mention it."

As he raised the glass to his lips, Rouge leaned forward and planted an unexpected kiss on his cheek, making the hedgehog halt. Surprised, he stared at her while she verbalized her appreciation.

"Thank you so much, Shadow." She looked at the gem again and added, "I think I know the perfect place for you, my precious jewel."

The quiet, stolid lifeform felt a warmness in his heart seeing Rouge so happy, and he let a genuine smile touch his lips before taking a drink and truly enjoying the citrusy taste of bubbly champagne.

#sonic fanfiction #ship fanfic #heartfelt holidays #heartfelt holidays chapter 1 #dracaria fics #shadouge #shadrouge #rouge the bat #shadow the hedgehog #sonic the hedgehog #valentine's day #writing

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dracarialove · 27 days

Text

📄 F it, I'm posting my finished fics here, too 📄

*Check the 'rouge's heart' tag if you haven't read previous chapters

[Chapter 10: Epilogue]

Things changed dramatically in the months following Rouge's choice to hire Shadow. He revealed to her the abilities that made him a capable fighter, including his Chaos Control and super speed; dazzled by his competence, the bat was ecstatic that he wouldn't require much training, and immediately set to work giving the stoic hedgehog all the information he'd need to keep the club safe.

She provided him with a navy-blue uniform shirt to set him apart from the bouncers, as well as a walkie talkie to help him communicate with them. During his shifts, Shadow performed routine checks of each floor to keep an eye on the patrons.

He spoke with the bouncers regularly and helped them to break up fights on the occasions when fists flew. Altercations were handled quicker with the ultimate lifeform around, and his tendency to analyze everything around him made Shadow a natural at noticing aggressive drunks who needed to be escorted out.

In between agency missions, Rouge visited her business more often, spending the evenings with Shadow while he worked. They'd agreed to start a relationship and continued taking things slow while the hedgehog steadily integrated into her group of friends.

He first got to know Silver and Blaze, the four of them going on double dates to get better acquainted. And after a time, Rouge reconnected with Sonic and Tails, who started showing up at her club to hang out. Still being friends with Knuckles meant they didn't see her as often, but the socialite appreciated having a well-rounded friend group again.

Being at the casino more frequently gave the fun-loving lady ideas for lively events – she began throwing special themed parties and hosting holiday functions to drum up even more interest in Club Rouge. Sonic agreed to market for her events in exchange for free food.

With the speedster vouching for her parties and Shadow making the club a more secure place, Rouge experienced a boom in business. She basked in the spoils of success with her hardworking beau, putting much of her earnings back into the casino to keep the patrons happy and pay her employees, then using the rest to fund her own luxurious lifestyle.

Shadow enjoyed his new career more and more the longer he worked, mostly for the opportunity to use his skills and be in Rouge's presence at the same time. She made his job easier by running everything she could, only leaving the dangerous and heavy-duty work to the hedgehog.

As a team, they strengthened their livelihoods and became a power couple known to the regulars of Club Rouge, eventually cementing the business as one of the most popular in the city. And when the bat was sure she wanted Shadow to be a more prevalent fixture in her life, she gave him a copy of her house key to let him visit any time he liked.

The End

#sonic fanfiction #sonic fanfic #rouge's heart #rouge's heart chapter 10 #dracaria fics #shadouge #shadrouge #rouge the bat #shadow the hedgehog #writing

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dracarialove · 28 days

Text

📄 F it, I'm posting my finished fics here, too 📄

*Check the 'rouge's heart' tag if you haven't read previous chapters

[Chapter 9: Love]

'Kiss him...' Rouge's conscience whispered again.

Her heart was racing, both of them frozen in place as they stared at each other. Shadow was starry-eyed for the first time in his life as he waited for the bat's next move; his chest rose and fell with each unsteady breath. What passed was a moment of tension between the two, a second of Rouge hesitating to get any closer.

Finally, she pushed away her doubts and gave in to the romantic want, leaning forward slowly in case Shadow decided to pull back. Her eyelids lowered as her gaze dropped to his mouth, her glossy lips puckering slightly. The hedgehog stayed still long enough to comprehend her action, then closed his eyes and leaned into her kiss.

Their lips met in the calmest motion, yet they both experienced a flurry of emotions like never before. Rouge felt a shiver rush through her body, the anticipation of kissing Shadow melting away as her desire was finally realized.

Even if it didn't go anywhere from that point – even if the hedgehog still couldn't see them as a couple – the pressure was gone the instant they connected. Rouge would be able to accept the rejection with grace if he chose to shoot her down.

Meanwhile, Shadow's heart rate was spiking quickly, the rapid pulse thumping intensely in his chest. He kept a chill demeanor, sitting mostly still with his lips pressed against hers, but his mind was muddled with questions all the while.

'Is this really happening? What does it mean for me and for her? For us? Will there be an us? What would that be like? Could I even do it? Would I be good enough for her?'

His anxiety grew the longer they kissed, leading Shadow to break it when he couldn't bear the nerves any longer. Pulling away from her was like being sucked through a vortex that brought him back to reality, his eyes opening to the blazing sun above and Rouge's calmed expression. She smiled and broke the silence first.

"I was starting to think you didn't like me." Her expression turned coy as he chuckled, Shadow letting a smile stick to his face as well.

"I might like you too much for my own good," replied the hedgehog.

Rouge shifted to push herself up, no longer hovering over him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Her new beau sat up straighter, taking the bat's bare hands in his gloved palms and helping her stand. "It means... I haven't really felt like that... ever."

Rouge looked into his crimson eyes, her cheeks flushing pink. "Oh... I'm surprised."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because you seem like such a lady killer!"

Shadow laughed a little fuller, more genuine than his previous chuckles, though the sound was subdued compared to anyone else's laugh. Rouge was almost giddy that he was opening up so much, and squeezed his hands.

"You know, I think you should visit my club," she suggested.

Shadow lowered his eyebrow, intrigued. "You own a club?"

"Club Rouge – really obvious it's mine."

"Hm, yes, very modest," the hedgehog teased, his first instance of witty banter.

Rouge took a couple of steps backwards, pulling on Shadow's hands. "Come on, we can have some drinks and I'll show you around."

The hedgehog followed her back to their beach spot, where they both dried off before packing up to leave. Rouge put her sun dress back on, and together, they climbed into her car to head off towards the downtown area.

***

Rouge knew the club would be quieter with the sun still hanging high. It would give her the chance to offer a proper tour without being bombarded by her staff for assistance with the evening crowds. She parked in front of the building, pulling into her designated spot between the other employees' vehicles.

With one hand, Shadow lowered the sunglasses he'd returned to his face, leaning forward to look up at Club Rouge through the windshield. It was a tall building – three stories high – and the outside was colored a cool gray while a neon red sign spelled out the club's name in curvy letters.

Pink and blue lights shone through every window, faint strips of purple glimmering in the sun where they overlapped. The hedgehog imagined it would be much more colorful at night, and considering Rouge's personality, he was surprised to not hear music thumping through the walls.

"Looks nice," he commented, leaning back again and lowering his hand to the inside of the door. "Is it open all day?"

They stepped out at the same time, Rouge answering his question while closing and locking the doors. "No, I have someone come in the morning to get everything ready for business; every day, sure, but the doors open at noon."

"Noon?" replied the hedgehog, the two of them approaching the building together. "You must get a lot of business to keep it running for that long; I assume you don't close until late?"

The pretty bat looked over and smiled at him, pleased with Shadow's interest in her business. "That's right! 3am is when we start shuffling people out. Most of the partygoers have left by then, so it's good enough to get things decently clean before the sun rises."

The man nodded, impressed by Rouge's level of responsibility to run a club while doubling as an agent and hunting for jewels. She seemed so put together, knowing what she wanted and making it work, handling everything easily even when inconvenienced.

"So how often do you come around?" he asked as they neared the door.

"Usually once a week to check on everything. I have pretty great staff, so I don't have to worry about much; and if they do need me, they call. But every now and then, I'll come by for a drink or to mingle with the party animals."

She was grinning just talking about it, and her palm soon landed firmly against the large front door. Electronic music seeped through the cracks the second there was an opening, Shadow realizing just how thick the walls must be to contain what was a relatively loud beat.

The bat led him inside, where the bright lights of a casino lobby filled every inch of his vision, thankfully not so aggressive in the middle of the day, and lessened further by his dark shades. He heard her greet a bouncer nearby, her voice quiet as the hedgehog's ears adjusted to the energetic tunes resonating from the speakers above them.

"Shadow, you okay?" she suddenly asked, leaning towards him.

His gaze met hers and he realized he'd been zoning out a bit. "Yes, I'm fine."

She smiled tentatively, but accepted his answer, continuing on across the carpeted floor. Ahead of them were a number of tables made for various games – blackjack, roulette, poker, and billiards all occupied the center of the lobby.

Along the walls were numerous slot machines, all blinking with bright colored lights and high-pitched sounds that beckoned patrons to play. There were a few Mobian customers sitting at the slots, as well as a group of hedgehogs that chatted loudly over the music while playing a game of pool.

Rouge waved to them and asked if they were having a good time, her tone friendly. The dark hedgehog watched every one of the men smile and nod, some removing the cigarettes from their mouths to compliment her; a few of their gazes seemed to be stuck to the enchanting owner as the couple passed by.

Rouge brought Shadow to the bar straight ahead, which was being tended by a dark green fox. He smiled when he saw her, greeting his boss before they even reached the cushioned stools, then looking at Shadow while grabbing a martini glass.

"Welcome to Club Rouge," he said in a calm tone, his voice youthful, then turned his attention back to the bat. "What'll you have today, Rou?"

"Just a strawberry margarita would be nice," she answered, plopping her curvy figure onto one of the seats. Looking at Shadow, she asked, "What would you like? It's on the house."

He was still a bit off-kilter from the sights and sounds around him, almost missing her question before forcing himself to focus. "Oh, uh... the same, I guess."

The fox's silver eyes glimmered as he piped in a chipper tone, "Two strawberry margaritas! Not trying to get hammered today?"

Rouge laughed while he took her glass and began preparing the drink. Shadow could see a certain shine in the bartender's eyes that suggested he might have a bit of a crush on the older woman. And the quiet man couldn't blame him; he was falling for her himself.

The bat responded, "For once, no. Just showing my new friend around the club. He hasn't really been around the city, so I've been taking him to some fun spots in town."

"Ahh, you're lucky," the fox said to Shadow, starting on the second margarita. "Rouge knows every bar and club within five miles! Not to mention all the great places to eat."

Shadow made eye contact with the bat, who was leaning one cheek into her palm and smiling dreamily at him, and said, "Yes, I've been learning a lot about this town since I met her."

"Cheers," blurted the tender, placing their drinks on the bar top. "Remember this: of all the night spots in the city, Club Rouge is the best."

Rouge smiled at the fox and raised her glass, then turned to Shadow while taking her first sip. He also accepted his margarita, nodding at the bartender before drinking a bit. The cold sugary mix was sweet against his tongue, the strawberry taste strong over a hint of alcoholic sting. Before he could say anything about it, the young barkeep spoke up again.

"So, Rou, you look nice!" His hands were resting on the bar, arms straight out from his body.

"Thanks," she responded, lowering her glass. "We were just at the beach."

"Wow, beach day." He looked over at Shadow. "Sounds like fun!"

The stoic hedgehog felt an awkward energy coming from him, assuming things would end up being uncomfortable if they stayed at the bar. So, he answered before turning to Rouge, "Yes, the weather was very nice. I don't mean to cut things short, but perhaps I could get that tour now?"

"Oh, of course!" the bat replied, jumping up from the stool. Her dress flowed back down to her knees and she looked over her shoulder while taking a step towards Shadow. "Thank you for the drinks, Jay. I'll be around if anyone needs me."

"S-sure," he said, raising one hand to grip the back of his neck and watching them walk away.

As the pair left the bar, Shadow savored the feeling of Rouge's bare hand against the back of his arm, the clapping sound of her sandals quiet in comparison to the techno music filling the building. They made their way to one corner of the room, where sat a set of winding stairs leading to the second story. Before they reached the bottom step, she pointed out a couple of doors next to them that beared restroom symbols.

"First floor bathrooms, if you ever need to go." Her tone was matter-of-fact, even business-like as she pointed again to the lobby behind them while climbing the first step. "Let me know if you want to play any games, too; we've got all kinds to keep you entertained while you're here."

Shadow listened while she continued on, following her up the stairs and periodically sipping his drink. She claimed, "And of course, whenever you're with me, everything'll be on the house! Dating a casino owner has its perks."

His expression changed to stunned bemusement as his crimson gaze snapped to her face. Immediately, the bat followed her statement with a teasing claim. "I'm joking, of course."

The twinkle in her teal eyes suggested that she was amused by Shadow's double-take. Trying to calm his slightly-raised heartbeat, the hedgehog let out a chuckling sigh, not so sure that he wanted her to be joking.

Rouge was capable of throwing him off his balance, a skill no one had possessed before in his presence. Always collected and calculating everything around him, the ultimate lifeform had previously thought it impossible for anyone to catch him off-guard, even in battle. But the sly woman's smooth-talking nature was different from those who tried to take him by surprise.

She was naturally confident and charismatic, refusing to turn off her charm because it was just a part of her personality. Whether flirting with Shadow would've yielded results or not, Rouge would still be doing it – her talents were effortless.

She spent the next half-hour showing him the second and third stories. The second floor was a disco, most of the space being a dance floor consisting of bright blue tiles. With no one dancing, the area was expansive, the only other attractions being the DJ booth at the back of the room and a small bar where patrons could serve themselves.

Rouge greeted the lone bouncer and briefly checked in with him before taking Shadow to the top floor. It was a lounge room with lighting much dimmer, but playing the same music over the speakers. Velvet sofas and loveseats lined the walls, and there were small dining tables in the middle of the room with chairs for seating.

"This is where people can hang out and relax if they're tired from dancing or have had too much to drink," she explained. "We have a toaster oven at the bar, so customers can order food, too."

"Very nice," complimented Shadow.

And he meant it, genuinely fascinated by Rouge's ability to keep everything running smoothly. It seemed like a lot to keep up with, and he had to commend her for her passion in creating such an environment. He declined her offer of food, and they finished their drinks before heading back downstairs, where the bat led him across the room to the other side of the casino bar.

There was an archway in the wall that occupied the corner, its entrance covered by a dark purple velvet curtain. Rouge took his hand in hers, smiling back at the hedgehog before grabbing one side of the curtain.

"This is my own private lounge area," she told him, pulling aside the heavy fabric and tugging on his gloved hand.

After entering the small, darkened room, Shadow was able to take off his sunglasses while Rouge flipped a switch that turned on the violet-colored light hanging from the ceiling. The thick curtain created a bit of a buffer from the noise of the casino, and also blocked the outside light from entering the bat's modest sanctuary.

Her space – surprisingly only big enough to be occupied by a few people at a time – consisted of a red velvet loveseat resting against the left-most wall, a plump beanbag chair sitting across from it, and several tables that all served a different purpose.

In the middle of the room was a coffee table, large enough to hold plates and drinks; and all four corners were decorated with smaller end tables, three of them carrying small sculptures. Sitting on the fourth table, on the far side of the loveseat, was a mini-fridge that whirred quietly as it chilled the contents inside.

"What'ya think?" Rouge asked, swaying her hips as she stepped towards the loveseat.

"It's very... you," responded the hedgehog, placing his shades on the coffee table as his baritone voice rumbled softly through the cozy space.

He moved to join her on the loveseat, the woman crossing one leg over the other once her form had sunken comfortably into the couch. She smirked and lowered an eyebrow at him, replying, "'Me'? I'd say it's a lot more subdued than my usual style. You don't find me gaudy, or my taste excessively extravagant?"

Her playful tone tipped him off that she was merely bantering again, but Shadow felt more serious about his opinions of her character. He didn't return the smirk curled across her muzzle, but instead scooted a little closer and held her hands once more.

"Sometimes," he answered, staring decidedly into her purple-tinted eyes. "But that's only a part of who you are."

Rouge's teasing expression changed to one of puzzled intrigue, the slight tilt of her head urging him to continue his train of thought.

The man's smooth, monotone voice was unwavering while he spoke on the deeper strengths of her personality. "You're also intelligent and resourceful, with a level of charisma that I will never possess."

She almost chuckled, but saw the sternness in his face and realized he wasn't just flattering her – he was being blunt. The bat felt a flush enter her cheeks again and she clung to his every word, leaning towards him, as well.

Shadow spoke honestly, "In the past, I've found it difficult to figure out my purpose in life. At times, it seemed I was just wasting away the days until something happened to pique my interest. And as you can imagine, that's not a simple task; I'll admit that I was unimpressed with most of the things around me."

Rouge gained a smarmy expression and sarcastically retorted, "Until you met me?"

He couldn't help but smile and let out a small chuckle, catching on to her mockery of the cliché line. "I wasn't going to say that. I'm still unimpressed by most things... you just have a different outlook on life that gets me thinking."

"Oh? Thinking about what?"

He paused for a moment, briefly looking down at her hands before darting his wine-hued eyes back to hers. "Who I want to be. I wonder how my life would change if my own mindset were to shift just a bit."

"Well, there's no harm in trying something new," Rouge claimed, one shoulder rising towards her cheek.

The musing hedgehog wasn't trying to be romantic – his body language stiff, his facial demeanor thoughtful and slightly somber – but his words were touching her heart nonetheless. To know that she was helping someone discover new perspectives, just by being herself, had Rouge feeling like she was being offered a partner.

In crime, in business, in life; she didn't care which. She just knew that Shadow had something that perhaps she was missing, as well: the power to reflect heavily on all of the things being presented to him, rather than just letting them pass over his person like water.

Her own quick-witted nature was useful in her lines of work, but it often kept Rouge from thinking deeply about the connotations of any casual encounter. If the situation seemed surface-level, or if the problem had a quick and easy fix, she let it be as it was and didn't worry further unless she could predict a ripple effect.

The bat had to admit to herself that perhaps she even made assumptions without considering every possible option; though to her credit, it had never caused a problem for her before. In that moment, she accepted him as a promising prospect for the kind of love she could have. Sitting on the maroon loveseat together, the pair were entranced by each other, and the charming woman saw Shadow's gaze trail down to her lips.

"I want to give us a try," he spoke softly. "Just to see where this goes."

Rouge squeezed his hands tightly, her eyelids lowering. "Me, too..."

This time, Shadow was the one to lean in for a kiss. The bat instantly reciprocated, her eyes closing while her heart nearly leapt out of her chest. The dark hedgehog finally let his body relax from the tension of opening up to her, relishing the intimate moment with his first love interest.

When they pulled away from each other, he could hardly keep his breathing steady; once again, she was effortlessly nudging the reclusive lifeform out of his usual nonchalant state. He consciously allowed himself to be more vulnerable around her, his eyes brightening a bit more as he smiled.

"You have a great smile," Rouge complimented, following with a wink.

"Yours is better," he retorted, guessing that she would appreciate the praise.

One of her bare hands lifted to run tan fingers through her curled locks. "Say, I've got a proposition for you."

"What's that?"

"How would you like a job here? You're still looking for work, right?"

Shadow's eyes widened a little, appreciative of her offer. "I am. What would you have me doing?"

"Well, I could use some more security around here," she said, lowering her hand from her hair to play with his chest fur. "The bouncers do an alright job, but there's only one for each floor. I could really use a security supervisor to do patrols around the building, make doubly sure that everyone's having a good time, and keep an eye out for troublemakers."

In a swift motion, she lightly tapped her index finger against the tip of his nose, causing the hedgehog to let out an embarrassed huff as he turned his head. "Interested?"

She leaned away from him and twirled a thick strand of white hair – painted lavender by the purple light – around the same index finger, smiling flirtily and fluttering her eyelashes at him. Shadow turned his gaze back towards her and looked the woman up and down, then raised the warm hand that was still resting in his, pulling it closer to his face.

"Sounds like my kind of job," he answered, then planted a kiss on her soft skin.

#sonic fanfiction #ship fanfic #rouge's heart #rouge's heart chapter 9 #dracaria fics #shadouge #shadrouge #rouge the bat #shadow the hedgehog #writing

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dracarialove · 29 days

Text

📄 F it, I'm posting my finished fics here, too 📄

*Check the 'rouge's heart' tag if you haven't read previous chapters

[Chapter 8: Relaxation]

Rouge and Shadow kept in touch for a few weeks after their night at the club. Their feelings for each other grew over texts and phone calls; the bat accepted that she would just be waiting until he was ready to ask her for a commitment, and the hedgehog wrestled with his own pessimism regarding their potential relationship. Shadow laid awake some nights, his conscience jumping back and forth between giving it a shot and worrying that she may still not be over Knuckles.

Not knowing where Rouge's thoughts and feelings truly lay made him anxious, the reserved man hesitant to ask her outright. He continued looking for new work, though nothing was panning out, as he didn't do very well during interviews. The repeated failures began to wear down the hedgehog.

Meanwhile, the treasure hunter used her time being single to work through the broken engagement the way Shadow had suggested. She first ran through the good memories in her mind, mourning each one and crying when she needed to – though, she found it was much easier to keep her eyes dry this time around. Then, she went through the bad memories, mentally pinpointing what made them bad and which ones stemmed from something she could've controlled.

In the process of uncovering her own flaws, Rouge also began to associate Knuckles' face with how the bad memories made her feel. The method caused her feeling of sorrow towards him to steadily evaporate, being replaced with a sense of confidence that she deserved better.

At the tail end of those three weeks, after Shadow had been denied another job opportunity, he called Rouge in a stressed state. Sitting at the dining room table of his apartment, he ran his fingers through his dark quills while letting out an exhausted sigh. The charming woman's voice on the other end of the line was like an angel whispering to him that everything would be alright.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Rouge," he started, trying not to sound defeated. "How are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm fine," she responded casually. Shadow could hear the smile in her tone. "And yourself?"

He almost instinctively replied that he was also fine, something he'd been doing with many strangers multiple times a week. But he caught himself, instead telling her the truth. "Not that well. I still haven't found a new job."

Then he heard the smile drop from her voice, relieved that she wouldn't instantly try to hype him up. "I'm sorry to hear that... are you holding up okay?"

The hedgehog paused, staring at the ring-like patterns on his wooden table. "Not as well as I normally do. Truthfully, it's probably the first time in my life that the stress of searching is starting to get to me."

There was a pause from her side, Shadow assuming she was thinking. So far, the only time she seemed to not have an immediate reply was when she was contemplating something, and he was content to wait for an inevitable bright idea from the clever lady.

"I know," she finally uttered, her tone lifting again. He smirked as she did exactly what he'd anticipated. "Let's go to the beach – just you and me. Some surf and sun might put you in a better mood."

"Sure," was his unhesitant response. "As soon as possible?"

Rouge's perky tone heightened. "Absolutely. It's supposed to be clear and sunny tomorrow. Is that soon enough?"

The hedgehog chuckled, his smile becoming more genuine. "Yeah, that works."

"Great! Come by around noon and we'll go together."

"Alright – see you then."

The bat said goodbye just before they hung up, Shadow then standing from the table and pacing a bit around his living room. Staring down at the plain black cell phone in his hand, he couldn't stop himself from feeling a tinge of excitement tugging at his heart. It was unusual after the aloofness he'd become accustomed to over years of living alone.

Befriending Rouge was the first step to finally opening up to someone; she made it feel surprisingly effortless, like she was genuinely on his side and cared about his well-being. The new, positive emotion remained while he rested on the couch and filled his evening with television.

***

The next day, Shadow drove his motorcycle to Rouge's house, for once appreciating the sunlight as he never had before. The bag of beach supplies he'd packed thumped against his back with every bump in the road. When he arrived, the hedgehog rang the doorbell and stood with one fist against his hip, gazing around her front lawn at the tiny violets sprinkling lush green grass.

The bat answered a moment later, wearing a flowy white sundress with a sunflower pattern lining the skirt. He was less shy about admiring her outfit, realizing that she would want to be complimented on her fashion choices.

"You look great," he said, walking in as she stepped aside.

Rouge smiled while closing the door behind him. "Thanks. I've got to pack a couple more things and I'll be ready to go."

He watched silently as the treasure hunter trotted a few feet towards her staircase, the dress bouncing around her thighs. She pushed off the ground and flew the rest of the way up the stairs, disappearing from Shadow's line of sight, and he slowly meandered around her living room to soak in Rouge's preferred aesthetic. Sleek white and silver were the main color scheme of her walls, furniture, and floors; splashes of color accenting designer pieces to complement the framed art on her walls.

The eager woman floated back down the stairs, a sky blue bag hanging off her shoulder and brown sandals on her feet. "I'm ready! Hope you don't mind me driving."

"Not at all," replied Shadow, turning to meet her at the door.

Walking towards the driveway, she reached out to him and said, "I can store your bag."

He handed it over and she strolled towards the back of her vehicle, using the button on her key to unlock it. The sun reflected off the pure white exterior of Rouge's car, gleaming bright enough to make the hedgehog raise his hand over his eyes.

The young woman seemed not to notice him walking over to the driver's side as she stuffed their bags into the trunk. When she looked back up, pushing the trunk closed, she saw the gentleman opening the door for her – a coy blush crossed the bat's cheeks and she thanked him before climbing in.

The ride to the beach was serene, an expansive blue sky stretching out above the city while upbeat music played from the radio. It wasn't the kind of tunes Shadow would've been playing had he taken control of the stereo, but he was feeling more open-minded towards interests other than his own.

It wasn't so bad, all things considered – not as heavy or serious as the genres he typically enjoyed, but rather carrying an optimistic tone that admittedly fit better with their plans. Rouge tapped her fingers on the steering wheel as they listened. The quiet hedgehog tired of gazing out the window, looking over at his friend and cracking another smile at how happy she seemed.

The sunshine ahead of them enhanced the glow on her glossy lips, tanned skin contrasting beautifully with her snowy white hair. She caught him staring, and flashed a tantalizing grin before returning her turquoise eyes to the road.

It wasn't long before they made it to the beach, Rouge parking in a convenient spot with a view of the shore. She opened her door before Shadow had a chance to do so for her, but he concerned himself more with getting their bags out of the trunk.

The hedgehog immediately put on his sunglasses, then threw both packs over his shoulders and walked with Rouge towards the sand; he noted that she was eyeing his figure, the woman either unsure or uncaring of his awareness behind the dark shades.

After walking along the border of grass and sand for a moment, the jewel hunter pointed at a smooth patch of turf jutting farther out than the rest. "That looks like a good place to rest our things."

Shadow agreed, letting her grab a blanket from her bag and setting the supplies down on the grassy patch. A light gust rushed by just as Rouge whipped up the blanket to spread it out, the pastel sundress pressing against the back of her thighs and flowing in front of her – it was a short moment of beauty that Shadow was glad to have seen, admiring the thin line of illumination around her silhouette.

He looked away quickly, not wanting to be caught staring again, and checked the grass around them for garbage or ant hills. Once the blanket was flat on the ground, he joined the bat and sat with her a while; she kicked off her sandals and leaned back to support her weight on outstretched arms. The pair looked out at the sea, relatively alone save for a family playing along another side of the beach.

"I love it out here," Rouge said, breaking the silence. "Especially during the week, there's hardly anyone around."

"It's quiet," remarked Shadow, throwing one arm over his bent knee. "I've never known such a bright place to be so still."

It was the treasure hunter's turn to look over at him, noting the way he stared out at the horizon through dim lenses and under lowered lids. His dark aesthetic looked a bit out of place among the light blues, yellows, and greens of the beachy area; but he gave off a slightly different vibe than at the night club.

It was more relaxed, more comfortable, and Rouge enjoyed seeing a new demeanor from the gloomy hedgehog she'd met at the coffee shop. Starting to feel the heat of the blazing sun, she repositioned to grab the bottom of her dress, pulling it up over her head and revealing her swimsuit.

The bat was wearing a one-piece colored the same faded purple as her everyday bodysuit, the chest forming a heart over her bust as one side of the thick fabric crossed over the other. She didn't notice him covertly eyeing her as she shifted to sit closer while making her next move.

"You know, I could take you out to do things more often. I don't know how familiar you are with the city, but I know pretty much every place that's worth visiting."

He turned, his head cocking forward slightly in a natural gesture that radiated coolness. The bat continued, "I could show you around, introduce you to new experiences..."

Trailing off, she shrugged in a questioning fashion. For a moment, his expression didn't change, leading her to believe he would decline the offer. But instead, he replied, "It would probably serve me well to get out more often. I'd have no reason to go on my own, but... you make things more enjoyable."

Her cheeks flushed, Rouge overcome with esteem and feeling valued from being spoken of so respectfully. Unfortunately, the moment didn't last long, the jewel thief suddenly hearing her name being called from the parking lot. Her heart leapt in her chest, gleaming eyes darting past Shadow to pinpoint the voice.

In the distance, she spotted a blue figure quickly swaggering towards them, one white glove raised high and waving. The woman nearly jumped up, subtle panic on her face as she sped towards him; Shadow turned to watch with a bewildered expression.

Rouge met the approaching hedgehog halfway, both of them standing in the grass. "Sonic, how nice to see you! What brings you here?"

He shrugged, both hands on his hips. "Was just running by and saw your car. Figured I'd say hi! It's been a while, huh?"

"Yeah, it has been," replied the bat, clenching one palm around her arm nervously. "Did Knuckles tell you...?"

"That you guys broke up?" His lip pulled into a slight sympathetic frown. "Yeah... sorry to hear. Not much to say, I guess – he's always been a knucklehead."

She let out a chuckling exhale as the corner of her own lip curled. "You're right about that."

"Who's your friend?" Sonic asked, motioning with an upward nod towards Shadow.

Rouge sighed, crossing her arms as her eyebrows stressed together. "Someone I met the night I dumped Knuckles. I've been trying to make new friends since the breakup."

"Well, Rouge, you still have me!" the spunky young man blurted, his arms spreading to his sides. "Just because you're not with him doesn't mean we can't be friends!"

At that point, Shadow decided to stand up, approaching the pair to decipher the reason for Sonic's energetic gestures. Meanwhile, Rouge explained, "It wouldn't have felt right, you're too close with him. Besides, it's not like we know each other that well."

"How could you say that?" the blue hedgehog asked, raising one hand to his heart and feigning hurt. "We've known each other for a long time! I helped you find the perfect place for your wedding, didn't I?"

Rouge rolled her eyes while Shadow finally reached them and gained Sonic's attention.

The blue blur grinned and shoved his open hand toward Shadow, who leaned back. "Hey there, friend-of-Rouge! Nice to meet you, I'm Sonic."

"An acquaintance of yours?" the dark hedgehog asked Rouge, rejecting Sonic's handshake.

She nodded, but the beginning of her attempted sentence was interrupted by the speedster. "Hey, you look familiar, actually. I think I know you from somewhere."

Shadow looked back to Sonic, his expression unflinchingly dull. "Most likely from the coffee shop where I used to work."

"Oh, that's right!" One palm clonked against the side of his head, his eyes rolling upward in an exaggerated motion. The grin remained as he pointed at Shadow. "You were the sour barista!"

"And you were the obnoxious one who asked if we had chilidogs and then didn't buy anything," the monotone man replied, his eyes narrowing a bit behind his sunglasses.

"Such is life, my friend. Say-"

Rouge then cut him off, stepping forward to obtain his gaze. "Sonic, listen – we were really just trying to have a relaxing afternoon on the beach. It was nice to see you again, but I think we'd like to get back to that."

She looked to Shadow for confirmation, who gave her a nod. She continued, "I'll stay in touch. But, if you could, don't talk to Knuckles about any of this. He caused trouble before and I just don't want any more of that."

Sonic nodded. "Yeah, no problem. Won't run my mouth on this one."

He started to back away from them, casually swinging his arms as he moved. "And hey, don't forget about the rest of us when you move on from Knuckles."

Before she could respond, the blue hedgehog sped away, dust kicking up into the air as a strong breeze blew past. Rouge looked at Shadow, crossing her arms behind her back and anxiously fidgeting with her pinky finger.

"Sorry about that... I had no idea he would show up here, of all places," she said. "We were friends when I was with my ex."

Shadow turned towards the shore, taking the bat's hand in his and leading her. "Let's not talk about that now. It's not what we came for, right?"

She eased up, a heartfelt smile creeping across her muzzle. "Right."

They walked into the water together, clear blue waves sinking away to then rush forth over Rouge's feet. The hedgehog was more concerned with his company's enjoyment, not finding much comfort in the cool sea but liking the soft smile on her face.

They stood for a while in thigh-deep saltwater, the treasure hunter running her hands along the surface while Shadow ignored the tiny fish brushing against his legs. He got a bit bored, just gazing around, leaving himself vulnerable to a sudden splash from the mischievous woman.

"Gotcha," Rouge chuckled when he turned to her with a surprised expression.

The innocence of her teasing brought an involuntary smile to his face as Shadow flashed her a playfully vengeful look. He splashed her back, more forcefully and causing her to let out a giggly exclamation. When she moved to retaliate, the bat took a step toward him and her leg waded into a bushel of seaweed; the spindly plant instantly tangled around her calf, the momentum sending her toppling further than she intended. The hedgehog was quick to catch her, but his loose footing slipped forward and made him fall on his behind.

The relatively shallow pool of water splashed around them as they both crashed to the wet sandy ground. Rouge was mortified, her cheeks red with embarrassment from tripping so awkwardly; Shadow was simply stunned by the fall, his hands pressed against her shoulders in an attempt to prevent her from hitting the water.

When she managed to prop herself up on outstretched arms, the bat's gaze ran up to his. His glasses were askew, one side laying higher than the other and leaving a single eye unshielded. He took them off once she was stable, the lenses dripping with water droplets, and they shared a long moment of starry-eyed staring.

A faint voice nagged in Rouge's ear, 'Kiss him.'

#sonic fanfiction #ship fanfic #rouge's heart #rouge's heart chapter 8 #dracaria fics #shadouge #shadrouge #rouge the bat #shadow the hedgehog #sonic the hedgehog #writing

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dracarialove · 1 month

Text

📄 F it, I'm posting my finished fics here, too 📄

*Check the 'rouge's heart' tag if you haven't read previous chapters

[Chapter 7: Excitement]

The next week dragged on, Shadow and Rouge keeping in touch while they went about their days doing their own thing. The hedgehog searched for a new job and the jewel hunter continued her work as an agent, asking her aloof friend to join her at a night club after she successfully completed a mission.

"I'm not normally one for clubs..." he said over the phone, an upward inflection in his voice.

"Trust me, it'll be fun." Rouge twirled a lock of hair around her index finger. "I'll help you come out of your shell a little; if you want, I can invite a couple of friends to make it a group thing."

Shadow thought for a moment, then replied, "Alright. If you're going regardless, then I guess it wouldn't hurt to get out of the house."

"That's the spirit," the bat said encouragingly. "There's a lively place down the street from me. I'll text you the address and we can meet there tomorrow at 10pm – that's when they start playing the best music."

"As long as you promise not to abandon me halfway through the night," responded Shadow in a subtly playful tone.

"Of course. I'll keep my wits about me, and if you want to leave early, you have every right."

The hedgehog appreciated her offering a way out if the night went sour, concluding their conversation and continuing on with the rest of his day.

***

When it came time to leave his apartment, Shadow took one last look around to make sure his home was tidy; on the rare chance that he decided to drink, he didn't want to have to clean the next day while his head might still be swimming.

The hedgehog decided to take his motorcycle, the deep rumble of the vehicle thumping through the streets on his way to the club. When he arrived, he parked in the lot behind the musical building, looking around for Rouge's car. Not seeing it anywhere, he sat idly on his motorcycle for a few minutes before deciding to go inside.

Even if she wasn't there yet, he could at least sit at the bar for a bit. As soon as he opened the door, Shadow saw the bat standing near the entrance and looking at her phone. She lifted her head and her teal eyes left the screen to meet with his. A smile spread across her pink lips, the hedgehog returning it and approaching the solitary woman.

"Where are your friends?" he asked.

"On their way. We can grab a drink until they get here!"

"Sure." Shadow turned in the direction of the bar, his eyes remaining on Rouge as he bent his arm at the elbow and stuck it out towards her.

Pleasantly surprised at the gesture, Rouge blushed lightly and wrapped her gloved fingers around his bicep, the two of them approaching the bar together. They each ordered their own drinks and sat chatting until the bat heard her name being called. She turned to see Silver and Blaze walking in, the lavender cat waving.

"Hey, guys!" she greeted, standing from the bar stool.

Shadow turned just enough to speak with them, not jumping up to meet the couple as Rouge was. She introduced him as her friend, the hedgehog unaware that the treasure hunter's friends had already been informed of his presence in her life. He politely nodded towards them instead of shaking hands, mostly remaining quiet as he wasn't ready to converse just yet.

As the four of them grouped together at the bar, Shadow primarily listened to their conversations, giving his thoughts only when asked and not offering up new topics. He designated himself as the one to order more drinks when they'd finished a round, the loner grateful for a few moments of respite from the near-constant chatter of the three friends.

At times, Rouge wondered what the hedgehog was thinking, finding it a bit unnerving that he was so quiet throughout the hour that they spent just talking. She figured he wouldn't be staying long, preparing herself for the moment when he would stand and excuse himself for the night.

But when her favorite song started playing through the speakers of the bustling blue-lit room, the bat saw an opportunity to get closer to Shadow and hopefully entice him into staying a bit longer. She couldn't tell if he was having fun up to that point, but hoped to get another smile from him out on the dance floor.

She turned to him and held out her hand with an eager grin. "Shadow, would you dance with me?"

She saw the hesitation in his eyes – colored a deep purple from the effects of the blue light – but felt giddy when the stoic hedgehog's gloved hand fell into hers. He rose from the seat, Blaze and Silver covertly sharing a knowing look and following them to the dance floor.

Rouge picked a spot that didn't have as many people around, letting the electronic music influence her movements as she and Shadow faced each other. The hedgehog didn't match her energy, mostly tapping his foot and swaying rather than actually dancing.

The bat's friends focused on each other as they grooved nearby, silently bonding over shared dance moves while they avoided bumping into other patrons. Rouge made sporadic eye contact with Shadow in between scattered hip sways and occasional twirls, the man becoming more mesmerized by her as the song went on.

After a while, he got into the rhythm a little more, and a smile slowly spread while his moves started to complement hers a bit better. The woman was ecstatic seeing him jive with the upbeat tempo, biting her lip in excitement and moving in tandem with the hedgehog.

When the song was over, Shadow's movements slowed again and Rouge guessed that he was disinterested in continuing the dance, despite the fun he seemed to finally be having. They left the floor together while Silver and Blaze kept each other company on the vibrant flickering tiles.

The hedgehog declined having another drink as she ordered one, him leaning his back against the bar while she sat on the stool. He lounged with his elbows resting on the bar top, looking at Rouge and contemplating a question as the bartender prepared her drink. When she noticed his lingering gaze, the bat lowered one eyebrow and smirked.

"What?" she asked playfully.

He shook his head a bit, smiling more naturally. "I was just sort of wondering: I didn't see your car in the parking lot – how do you plan on getting home?"

When her drink was set in front of her, she used the small straw to stir the liquid, answering before taking a sip. "I flew here. Didn't really think it was necessary to drive when I live down the road."

"Ah," the hedgehog responded, his head cocking upward in an understanding gesture. He was starting to feel more confident from the couple of drinks he'd had. "Well, if you need a ride back, I don't mind dropping you off."

Rouge grinned again at his offer, catching on that it meant he was willing to stay as long as she did. But it was his next statement that made her eyelids raise as her interest in him skyrocketed.

"I have my motorcycle, so it would be a quick trip." The words tumbled smoothly from his mouth, Shadow not immediately privy to the joy sparking in his company's heart.

"You have a motorcycle?" she asked, stirring her drink again. "I would love to see it."

His eyebrows crept upward as he read her expression. "Really? I can take you for a ride, if you like. I mean, not to leave your friends behind, but I wouldn't mind making a quick spin around the block."

Without another word, Rouge spun around in her seat and looked toward Blaze and Silver, waving her hand to get their attention. She gestured them over and sipped her drink down to half while the couple made their way to the bar. Shadow was feeling more comfortable, the warmth in his chest growing as he and Silver shared a brief, respectful smile.

The bat started, "Hey, we're gonna leave for just a minute – Shadow has a motorcycle and he offered to give me a ride, but we'll be back."

Before she could head to the exit, Blaze spoke up, "You know the drill, Rouge."

"Oh, right." Looking at Shadow, she added, "Just a second, I'll meet you at the door."

The hedgehog nodded, pushing himself from the bar and walking away from the group. Silver casually crossed his arms as Rouge faced them, the fire princess using one finger to outline invisible patterns in the air. The bat copied one after the other, earning a smile from Blaze.

"Alright, you're sober enough," she stated. "Still, be safe."

The jewel hunter nodded, then handed the cat her drink. "I will. Here, you can have the rest."

"Score!" Blaze uttered, briefly stirring the alcohol before removing the tiny straw.

Rouge met Shadow at the door and followed him outside. They walked around the building to reach his motorcycle, colored jet black with bright red hubcaps. The bat clasped her hands behind her back, heels clicking on the ground and her hips swaying flirtily as she took steps around the vehicle.

"Wow, customized and everything," she said, spotting the spiky ruby-colored symbol stamped on the bike's body.

"Yeah, I probably prefer my chopper over the car," the hedgehog admitted, looking down at the vehicle and crossing his arms. "Faster, easier to handle..."

He trailed off as he walked around the other side of the motorcycle, raising one leg and swinging it around to sit on the seat. Rouge joined him, placing her hands on his shoulders as he started the engine.

Shadow's voice rose to be heard over the ignition. "Wrap your arms around me – it's the safest way to hold on."

The bat blushed, her palms leaving his shoulders and slinking under his arms. Her fingers hugged his torso, instinctively pulling herself closer to his back. Once his passenger was secure, the confident hedgehog drove his heel against the kickstand and took them out of the parking lot, turning to drive towards the first traffic light.

Rouge tilted her head up a bit to feel the wind rushing by, Shadow's thick quills fluttering next to her face. She gripped his chest a bit tighter, making the man's heart beat faster as a wider smile tugged at his lips. He made a right turn as the green light turned yellow, the bike's deep growl rattling underneath them when Shadow sped up.

They flew down the long street, the young woman glancing at familiar surroundings while her hair whipped around her cheeks. It was a freeing feeling, riding behind her new friend on a vehicle she'd never experienced before; something that may have never happened had she stayed with Knuckles.

Meanwhile, Shadow couldn't explain why he'd never allowed himself to get out like this before. Having Rouge's arms wrapped around him as they raced down the smooth road felt daring and fun, his smile sticking for the entire ride.

Three more right turns brought them back to the busy night club, the hedgehog finding a new spot as his previous space had been taken. When he stopped the engine, Rouge pulled back and he turned to look over his shoulder – her eyes were sparkling, full of life and elation while she complimented the short ride.

"That was incredible!" Her hands clasped together as they sat for a bit longer. "I haven't had so much fun in a while!"

Shadow couldn't help but glance at the bat's lips as she spoke, the forbidden urge to kiss her rising once more. He had to leave his seat to avoid screwing up his own suggestion of taking things slow. Rouge followed, the pair walking together to re-enter the club.

After meeting up with Blaze and Silver, they each got another drink and stayed a while longer; this time, Shadow felt more comfortable joining the conversation and was able to get on well with the couple until they decided it was time to head home.

They said their goodbyes and the dark hedgehog politely insisted on bringing Rouge home; when they arrived at her place, he idled in front of her yard as she left the motorcycle and turned to face him.

"Thanks for coming out with me tonight," she said, stars in her eyes. "It wouldn't have been the same without you."

A faint blush crawled across his cheeks, Shadow looking up at her with a peaceful expression. "Thank you for convincing me to come along. I had a good time."

The treasure hunter gave him an earnest look before placing one hand on his shoulder, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek. He didn't pull away, enjoying the gentle affection and feeling a flush of warmth spread across his muzzle.

Rouge looked radiant to him as her posture straightened, backing up onto the stone path that led to her front door. He raised one hand to match her wave, watching her stroll down the walkway and breathing a bit heavier through the thumping in his chest.

The enamored woman allowed a piece of him to linger in her heart as she heard the bike's engine start up again, peering through her front curtains to catch a glimpse of Shadow driving away.

#sonic fanfiction #ship fanfic #rouge's heart #rouge's heart chapter 7 #dracaria fics #shadouge #shadrouge #anti-knuxouge #silvaze #rouge the bat #shadow the hedgehog #blaze the cat #silver the hedgehog #writing

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dracarialove · 1 month

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📄 F it, I'm posting my finished fics here, too 📄

*Check the 'rouge's heart' tag if you haven't read previous chapters

[Chapter 6: Freedom]

The elegant bat romanticized the upcoming dinner date with Shadow in her head while she got dressed. She'd chosen something special, but not too formal – it was only the first date, after all. Her dress was black, transitioning to white as the bottom fanned out to hang around her calves.

Thin straps rested on her tan shoulders, and a white bow accented her back as it tied around her middle. She slipped black gloves up her arms, the simple white cuffs hugging the center of her biceps. Her legs were covered by dark pantyhose that disappeared underneath shiny black pumps.

For makeup, Rouge decided to keep it simple with her typical blue eyeshadow and a subtle layer of red lip gloss. She rejected the idea of wearing jewelry, deeming it too flashy as she glanced at the wall clock in her bedroom. Reading 7:42pm, she turned and left the room, her heels soon clicking down the stairs; she grabbed her handbag from the living room end table and headed out the front door.

As she locked it behind her, the bat's phone buzzed in her purse. Shadow's name lit up the screen while she walked to her car, the hedgehog asking if they were still on for the night. She replied, 'On my way now,' and hurried into the Corvette.

When she arrived at her favorite restaurant, Rouge chose a spot closer to the door, hoping that her date would recognize the car and park nearby. She gave herself one last look-over to make sure her curled locks were perfectly centered and her makeup was still clean. With no stray hairs and no gloss on her teeth, the dreamy-eyed woman climbed out and waited near the front door.

Only a few minutes passed before she spotted a black Viper with a single crimson stripe down the hood; she could faintly see Shadow through the windshield as he parked directly next to her vehicle. Her heart beat quickened, watching with a smile as he opened the door and stepped out.

Dark sunglasses first covered his ruby irises, but slid down his nose when he lowered his head to avoid the car roof. Peeking over the black plastic rims, his eyes instantly darted towards her. Rouge raised one hand to wave, and a smile began to show at the corners of his lips.

The hedgehog was dressed semi formally in a dark maroon button-down shirt, the top two buttons undone to let his chest hair show. Black and red spines glimmered faintly, the moisture of a fresh shower still drying from his hair.

The bat noticed the same gloves and skates he'd worn before, but had to give his simplicity credit – it worked well for the mysterious man. With the way his gaze was making her feel, he didn't need fancy dressings.

Shadow pulled his sunglasses back up to hide his eyes – Rouge wondered if it was his way of controlling the first-date nerves, considering the sun had vanished from the sky – and stopped in front of her. If he was nervous, he hid it well, his smooth voice rolling forth. "You look very nice."

"Thank you," she responded, lowering her eyelids a bit as she primped one of her curls with a gloved palm. "So do you. I like your style."

His smile widened slightly, the hedgehog then being thrown off a bit when her fingers slipped around his arm. He held his composure, leading the way into the restaurant, but hadn't expected her to show physical affection yet; unsure if he should hook his elbow in a gentlemanly gesture, Shadow's eyes subtly shifted to gauge Rouge's expression.

She didn't show any signs of expectation towards him, so he continued with his arm at his side and simply held the door open for her. They approached the podium where a dark red fox stood with the reservation book open.

He gave Rouge a smile, but when his lime green eyes switched to Shadow, the host's face dropped to a stony expression. The hedgehog noticed – and recognized the fox – but tried to ignore it for Rouge's sake.

He said, "Table for two: Shadow the Hedgehog."

The host looked down at the book, running his finger along the names; he went down to the bottom of the page, then flipped it and looked at the other side.

"Hmm... it seems you're not on the list, sir," he responded unapologetically.

Rouge looked at Shadow, confused, her date's eyes narrowing while he addressed the fox. "I booked a reservation yesterday."

The host put his hand on the book, leaning forward. "Regardless, I can't show you to a table if you're not on the list."

Shadow's eyebrows furrowed and his mouth raised in an unpleasant expression; he lowered his sunglasses and peered up at the fox. "It's clear you recognize me. You're the guy we had to ban from the coffee shop I work at."

The host's eyes shifted a bit as the hedgehog continued, "You were yelling over the price of our baked goods, I remember – tried to provoke me into a fight and the manager had to throw you out. Maybe I should speak with your superior and let them know what kind of person is representing their establishment."

Flipping the book's page back to its original position, the fox timorously looked down and pointed at Shadow's name printed with the rest of the reservations. He cleared his throat and stated, "Here it is – I must have simply missed it."

"Must have," Shadow replied, taking off his sunglasses and slipping them into his breast pocket.

The host led them to a solitary table sitting underneath a small black chandelier. Without a word, he handed them their menus and briskly left, Rouge impressed with Shadow's calmness during the uncomfortable encounter.

"I have to admire how you handled that," she spoke, eyeing him from over the menu. "Does it happen often?"

"No," replied the hedgehog, his gaze skimming over the food options. "I just think it's best to handle tough situations with a clear head."

"Right, too much anger can really get you in trouble."

Shadow looked up from the menu, then opened his mouth to shift the topic towards what'd happened the day before; but before he could speak, a waiter walked up to their table and asked for their orders. He decided on steak while Rouge requested stew with a side of fruit salad.

When the waiter walked away, the bat's date entwined his fingers and rested both hands on the table. He'd lost the nerve to ask about Knuckles, and so couldn't hold eye contact very well as he attempted to compliment her.

"You dress yourself well," came the awkward admiration, which garnered a flattered smile from Rouge.

"It's a talent. Being beautiful has its advantages when you're in my line of work."

"Hm." His thumbs bumped together a few times as he managed to look up at her. "I don't think I've ever had the time to think about my appearance – until tonight, that is."

"You should do it more," she commented, planting one elbow on the table and laying her cheek in her hand. "You have the looks already, and fashion isn't far behind that."

He didn't know how to take her compliment, simply letting a half-smile form once more. His heart was beating faster again, the hedgehog figuring that it would only get worse the longer he put off bringing up his run-in with the echidna. So, he raised one fist near his mouth and cleared his throat, then led into the crucial question.

"There's something I have to get out of the way before anything else," he started, watching her expression change into curiosity. "Do you know a red echidna?"

Rouge's face dropped instantly; her heart skipped a beat and she felt a ball of anxiety form in her stomach. Shadow didn't like the reaction. It told him that not only was the answer 'Yes,' but there was even more to it. He wondered if what Knuckles had said was true – about the bat being his woman – but waited for her to respond.

"Yes..." spilled from her glossy lips, her eyes turning downward as her arms folded insecurely. "He's... someone I used to date."

"Used to?" Shadow asked, relief creeping into his tense posture.

"Yeah... well, it's a little more than that. He's actually my ex-fiancé."

The hedgehog's eyes widened a bit, mulling over the information in his mind. 'Fiancé? No wonder he was so angry. What have I gotten myself into?'

Rouge looked back up at him, his silence making her nervous. "Did you... meet him?"

Shadow crossed his arms as well, leaning forward on the table. "'Met' would be an understatement. He came into the shop yesterday – he started shouting about you, told me to back off... then he tried to attack me."

The jewel hunter's expression turned to shock. "Tried? What happened?"

"I defended myself," he told her bluntly. "Unfortunately, that didn't mean much to my manager. He saw the security footage, and I guess that plus my tendency to be less than enthusiastic on the job was enough to justify firing me."

Rouge put a hand to her chest, her brows turning upward in concern. "Oh my god, Shadow – I'm so sorry."

He shook his head. "Don't be. It's the echidna who chose to attack me. I just needed to know that you weren't involved with him, because he claimed you were his girlfriend."

"Ugh," she scoffed, crinkling her nose. "What an unbelievable jerk! Rest assured, I am not his girlfriend. I had to dump him after he broke my heart!"

There was a pause, Shadow taken a bit aback at the passion in her words. "If you don't mind my asking... how long ago did you leave him?"

Another pause, Rouge's face softening again. "Less than a week. That's why he came around – he's still angry."

She shrugged, avoiding eye contact, and her date could see the pain in her expression. "It's his own fault..."

Shadow sighed, soaking in her emotions. "That's... not a lot of time to get over someone."

Her eyes ran up to his, and the bat could tell he was feeling down as well. She didn't know what to say – she wanted to reassure him that she didn't have love for Knuckles anymore, but that wasn't entirely true. The hurt she felt just thinking about the echidna was still there, still strong, but she desired so badly to forget about him and move on to something better.

He stayed quiet for the moment, soon spotting the waiter approaching with their meals and changing his expression to its neutral state. They thanked the employee and stared down at their plates as he left, the pair both hesitating to take a bite.

Then Shadow looked at her earnestly. "Rouge..."

She returned his gaze and was struck again by the intensity of a deeper emotion hiding behind his crimson irises.

"I enjoy your company, and I don't want you to think this will push me away; to be honest, I've never been able to have a decent conversation with anyone before. Whether or not you would end up wanting a relationship, I don't think it's a good idea to get ahead of ourselves. I'm still dealing with some of my own demons, so I know how much time it can take..."

It was the most she had heard him speak at once, the hedgehog's deep voice rumbling through her ears and every word seeping into her mind with meaningful purpose. When he trailed off, she nodded her head and spoke up to complete his thought.

"You're right. I should get over my ex before trying for something new." She gave him a little smile. "At least we can still hang out – as friends, until then?"

His eyes brightened a bit. "Yeah, I would like that."

Feeling more at ease, they were able to start eating and talked a bit about Rouge's dinner with Blaze and Silver. Shadow let off some steam about the more unpleasant aspects of his time at the coffee shop, accepting that there were ultimately better job prospects to seek out.

Towards the end of the dinner, they were both sharing lighthearted experiences and putting each other in better moods to close out the night on a positive note. Full from their respective meals, the two rejected the idea of ordering dessert and paid their bills before leaving.

Rouge instinctively wrapped her hand around Shadow's arm again, the hedgehog choosing not to pull away – although he wanted things to develop slowly, he couldn't deny her some form of affection, as the reserved man was already fond of her touch.

Reaching the gap between their vehicles, the bat's hand left him as they turned to each other. There was a thick air of hesitation between them, Rouge fighting the desire to kiss him and Shadow unsure of how to say goodbye. He took her gloved palms in his as the bat's teal eyes stared patiently below thick eyelashes.

"I had a good time," he finally said, giving her hands a squeeze. "Drive safe..."

She nodded, smiling in a way that made him want to kiss her, as well. "You, too. Don't be afraid to call if you're bored or lonely."

A soft chuckle escaped his lips as he lowered her hands, slowly pulling away. "Good night, Rouge."

"Good night," she responded, waving as she opened her driver's side door.

They both made sure that the other got out of the parking lot safely, then drove down different streets; Rouge heading home while Shadow left the city to wind up the nearby mountainous area. He parked near a cliff overlooking the bright lights of downtown and sat on the hood of his car, staring over the town and up at the sky. He stayed there for the night, getting lost in his thoughts and falling asleep to the sound of crickets singing nearby.

#sonic fanfiction #ship fanfic #rouge's heart #rouge's heart chapter 6 #dracaria fics #shadouge #shadrouge #anti-knuxouge #rouge the bat #shadow the hedgehog #writing

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dracarialove · 1 month

Text

📄 F it, I'm posting my finished fics here, too 📄

*Check the 'rouge's heart' tag if you haven't read previous chapters

[Chapter 4: Romance]

Shadow went to work with no expectations that the eye-catching bat would show up, the hedgehog knowing very well how many people skipped out on plans. She hadn't even confirmed a definite desire to visit him, so he went about doing his job as usual.

But every time the bell on the door chimed, his ears perked up and his eyes darted hastily towards the entrance. Still hoping to see her walk in, his heart beat rose for a second before returning to normal when he realized it was just another stranger.

After hours of pouring coffee and serving pastries, he'd gotten caught up in the flow of steady customers and the mysterious woman had slipped his mind. It wasn't until her white Corvette pulled into a parking space – glimmering under the setting sun – that he remembered again, briefly being distracted from the order he was taking.

The customer – an older, orange bobcat – asked in a gruff voice, "What's the total?"

Shadow turned back, looking down at the register. "$7.50."

His gaze wandered to look out the big glass windows again while the customer paid, and he saw Rouge step out of her car. His eyes didn't linger once he knew it was her, handing the bobcat his food and beverage. A faint smile pricked at the corners of his mouth, his heart rate rising again. As the older man left, Shadow watched him in an effort to naturally catch the bat's eye when she entered.

The customer kindly held the door for her, Rouge thanking him and immediately looking at Shadow with a smile on her face. The hedgehog's eyes widened a bit, enraptured by how happy she looked to see him; it was something he wasn't used to, let alone from a beautiful woman. Part of him didn't trust the way she was making him feel, unsure of how to act when his demure nature was being challenged.

"Hi," she greeted, her eyelids lowering slightly. "Told you I'd be back."

Her playful opener made him react a bit awkwardly, Shadow not quite ready to respond in kind, but trying anyway. "You said you might come back."

Her smile didn't change – a sign he hadn't messed up yet. "Well, how could I not? The service is so good here."

Instinctively, he let forth a breathy chuckle. Another thing he wasn't used to – compliments, even from clientele. He wasn't skilled enough at witty banter to continue, so he instead asked, "What'll you have?"

"Just a hot chocolate this time," answered Rouge, refusing to break eye contact even as he put in the order and gave her the total.

"I'll take my lunch break so we can talk," he offered, handing her the drink, then nodded toward the front door. "Outside – it's more relaxing."

She nodded, taking the steaming cup and turning to walk out. The hedgehog removed his apron on the way to the back room, leaning in and addressing the coworker who was unloading inventory. Once his place had been taken, Shadow prepared a cup of coffee and met Rouge at one of the parasol-covered tables directly outside of the shop.

The bat's left elbow was resting on the tabletop, her cheek leaning into her palm. "Hopefully your afternoon wasn't too crazy."

"It never is," he replied, pulling his chair up to the table and setting down the coffee. "I don't think this place is popular enough to get that busy."

"It's a cute little shop," Rouge commented, glancing at the building. "They'd better be treating you well."

His eyes moved up from his cup as he took a sip, admiring the twinkle in her turquoise irises; her ivory hair looked soft, curling cutely behind her shoulders. He swallowed the scalding coffee, feeling the warmth hit his stomach, and managed a half-smile.

"It's an easy job," came the calm response. The intensity in her gaze strangely intimidated the hedgehog, forcing him to look away.

Rouge took the opportunity to sneak a peek at his figure, noticing lean muscle that meant he took care of himself; she liked that his fingers were anxiously tapping against his cup, finding it endearing that such a mysterious man would be nervous around her. She followed his gaze to study the darkening sky, running her eyes over the clash of orange and purple as the sun slowly sank.

Shadow suddenly spoke, drawing her attention again. "Dusk is my favorite time. Something about the harsh brightness of the orange meeting the melancholy indigo..."

He trailed off – Rouge raising an eyebrow at the poetic observation – then shook his head. "I don't know."

"No, I agree," she said encouragingly. "It's sort of like opposites attracting, or one piece completing another – even when they don't look like they go together."

His face slowly turned back to hers. "Yeah... I don't usually meet people who appreciate this time of day. Everyone seems to like dawn better."

He chuckled and added, "For some reason."

Rouge liked the way he laughed; it was soft, relaxing. A nice change from her boisterous ex, as Shadow seemed much calmer overall. Still, he had a certain alertness about him, quickly turning to look at the street when a car loudly zipped past. Raising his cup for another sip of coffee, the hedgehog could see a level of interest in her eyes that made him feel like she really was having a good time.

"Crazy people," she said, chuckling as well and shaking her head. "Although, I'll admit, I would have thought a guy like you would enjoy nightfall more."

Shadow shrugged and looked down, briefly cocking his head to one side as he did so. "Well, I used to. Not anymore."

His expression looked to be in reaction to a negative memory; Rouge thought about asking, but decided it wasn't worth it to prod at something that might be unpleasant for him to explain. Besides, then she would be obligated to do the same – and she was not ready to talk about Knuckles. So, she went to change the subject, when the hedgehog spoke up again and did it for her.

"What do you do for a living?" he asked. It was a safe question, an easy transition to a new conversation, and something that the bat was much more comfortable discussing.

"I'm a jewel hunter," was her answer, the woman gracefully sitting up straight and cupping her drink with both hands. The motion naturally brought her chest forward, which she didn't mind if Shadow glanced at – but his scarlet eyes remained on her face. "Well, I guess career-wise, I'm a government agent. It's what pays the bills, but that's not exactly what I'm passionate about."

He nodded, his half-smile returning. "So, you serve the people, in a way."

"In a way, sure – when I'm not doing my own thing. If I could just travel and take vacations for a living, believe me, I would."

"Well, anything to get away from the mundane world, right?"

She smirked and nodded definitively, then picked up her cup before asking, "What're your own desires in life?"

It was his turn to raise an eyebrow, pausing for a few seconds as she sipped her hot chocolate. His mouth opened slowly and he stated, "I'm not sure I really have an answer for that."

She lowered her drink again. "Really? You don't have a big goal you're striving for?"

Shadow shifted awkwardly, then leaned forward and rested both arms on the table, crossing the left over the right. After thinking for another second, he said, "I guess I don't. Maybe that's a problem."

His sentence sounded more like a statement of fact rather than a prompt for her to disagree, but Rouge felt inclined to reassure him anyway. Reaching her arm out, she rested her gloved hand on his forearm.

"Not at all! Actually, it's potential for lots of opportunities! Think about it: you could do anything you want just for the enjoyment of it. Not having to worry about working towards something... that's not all bad."

Her grin brightened his mood a little more, the hedgehog's own smile growing. He pulled his right hand out from under his arm and placed it on top of hers, feeling warmth in his chest while their gazes lingered on each other. Then Shadow's buttery smooth voice broke the silence and sent a light shiver down her spine.

"Would you like to go out to dinner? Perhaps tomorrow night?"

Rouge almost immediately said yes, but remembered that she had already made a promise to Blaze. Her excitement settled and she answered, "I would, but I made dinner plans with my friend and her boyfriend for tomorrow. Could we do it the night after?"

The hedgehog nodded, his curved quills flowing with the movement. "Sure."

Before he could continue his thought, the other barista opened the shop door and called out, "Hey, Shadow, is your lunch over yet? My shift's almost done."

Shadow turned – his right hand leaving Rouge's – and replied, "Yes. Just a minute."

The coworker walked back inside and he looked to Rouge with his resting, neutral expression. "Does 8pm sound alright?"

"Perfect," she answered, slipping her hand off of his arm. "Let me give you my phone number so we can set up a location."

They both stood and pulled out their cells, Shadow programming her number into his and sending a text to make sure she got it. Then they wished each other a good night, the bat taking her drink with her to finish on the drive home.

Rouge smiled to herself as she saved the handsome hedgehog's contact, taking her phone off of silent before opening her car door. She looked back once more and allowed herself a moment's glance at Shadow through the window as he donned his apron, then climbed behind the wheel and backed out of the parking lot.

***

When the jewel hunter arrived home, she felt more energized than when she'd woken up, pulling out her phone again and opening up the near-empty message history under Shadow's name. She suggested an upscale restaurant, revealing it to be her favorite establishment and offering to pay her own way.

He responded, "I've never been. But I trust your taste," making the bat bite her lip as she subconsciously swooned over the compliment.

Soon, she was preparing a meal to fill her grumbling stomach and tapping her foot to lively jazz music. Her melodic voice harmonized with the instrumental while she cooked, shutting out any detrimental thoughts and preventing her previous worries from ruining the evening. After dinner, she went up to her bedroom and began preparing an outfit for the following night out with Blaze and Silver, putting on calming classical tunes to wind down.

The stylish bat didn't spend too much time ruminating on what would look good enough to wear on a casual friend-date. Instead of her typical heart-shaped chest piece and purple bodysuit, she chose a dark blue blouse with long fanned sleeves, deciding to drape it over simple black leggings. She would couple the ensemble with plain black boots, opting to skip wearing any gloves.

Once she was happy with her choices, she hung the outfit on the outside of her wardrobe and went through her nightly routine before throwing on a thin black night gown. She briefly thought about going through the pictures on her phone again, but denied herself when the idea still caused a tinge of hurt to rush through her chest. Instead, Rouge let her body sink into her soft mattress, calming her mind before drifting off to sleep.

***

After the captivating woman had told him goodbye, Shadow stole a glance as she walked away; he couldn't help but swiftly run his eyes over her curves before turning and entering the coffee shop to let his coworker go home.

After the hedgehog put on his apron, he looked through the lobby and at the front door to make sure there were no customers around. The headlights of Rouge's car shone through the window shortly before she pulled away, Shadow disappearing into the back room as soon as she was out of his sight.

He leaned his back against the cold cement wall and let out a deep sigh, tilting his head up and closing his eyes. His hand raised to press against his chest, feeling the heart inside thumping firmly against his palm.

Trying to steady the pulse, he took a few deep breaths and opened his eyes again. The bumping slowly subsided until his heart rate was back to its resting state, the hedgehog confused at the shaky feeling fluttering through his body.

He got back to work, soon addressing a customer while thoughts of Rouge still lingered in his mind. A little while later, he received a message from the bat telling him about a fancy restaurant; the name was unfamiliar, but he skimmed the reviews and decided that it was a good choice. His lips curved into a smile more naturally as he typed out a response, the reserved man finding it easier to compliment her through the screen.

His gaze scanned over their short conversation for a moment before he slipped his cell phone into the pocket of his apron, continuing the evening shift with little enthusiasm until it was time to lock up for the night.

When he did, he contemplated texting Rouge with a good night message, wondering if it would be rude to leave their exchange where it was; but he concluded that he was overthinking things. Shadow closed out the night by taking one last look up at the stars, silently thanking the universe for letting him meet her.

#sonic fanfiction #ship fanfic #rouge's heart #rouge's heart chapter 4 #dracaria fics #shadouge #shadrouge #anti-knuxouge #rouge the bat #shadow the hedgehog #writing

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dracarialove · 1 month

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📄 F it, I'm posting my finished fics here, too 📄

*Check the 'rouge's heart' tag if you haven't read previous chapters

[Chapter 3: Comfort]

Rouge felt exhausted by the time she unlocked her front door, dragging her feet on the way to the couch, where she flopped forward to lie on the thick cushions. Despite her fatigue, the bat's mind was bustling with concern about how she was going to handle the coming few days.

She knew she had to return Knuckles' stuff, but didn't think she could face him yet. He still had a key to the house – and part of her was surprised that he hadn't come by and waited for her – so she needed to jump on a solution soon.

She pushed herself up and rubbed the back of her neck while walking to the kitchen. Rouge absolutely dreaded the idea of looking at her phone; no doubt the echidna had called her while she was out, but she had the thought to call Blaze and get her opinion.

She picked up the cell from its spot on the counter and tapped once, the purple rectangle lighting up and showing a list of missed notifications. The woman cringed when she saw her lock screen – a selfie of herself and Knuckles on vacation.

Just as she expected, there were numerous texts and calls from the cheater himself, some calm and some begging. Between the blips that she quickly swiped away, she spotted a single missed call from Blaze.

Rouge's mood brightened as she opened the notification and called her friend back, listening to the ring as she leaned against the counter. For a moment, she thought the cat wouldn't answer, but then heard the ring being interrupted by brief shuffling.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Blaze!" Rouge greeted. "I saw you called – how's it going?"

"Things are good, I had just called to see how you were doing."

The bat sighed. "Yeah... well... not that great, to be honest."

Blaze's tone turned to concern. "What? Why?" When Rouge didn't answer right away, she added, "What's wrong?"

"It's probably better if I talk about it in person. I know it's dark out already, but do you think you could visit... just for an hour?"

"Oh, yeah," answered the cat with no hesitation. "Of course, I'll be there soon."

"Thanks."

After they said a quick goodbye, Rouge hung up and brought her phone into the living room where she sat on the couch again. A heavy sigh escaped her, feeling a pang of sorrow in her chest when her gaze fell on her ex-fiancé's watch sitting on the end table.

It took ten minutes for Blaze to arrive, the headlights of her purple Jaguar splashing golden light through Rouge's living room window. The bat jumped up, watching her friend park next to her Corvette as she went to open the front door.

When they greeted each other, Rouge stepped forward for a hug; something Blaze didn't expect from her, but reciprocated nonetheless. They went inside and the bat offered her a drink, but the cat declined, just wanting to know what was going on – and why Knuckles' car wasn't in the driveway.

"I left him today," admitted the heartbroken woman as they sat on the sofa. Blaze gasped quietly and Rouge felt a prickle behind her eyes where tears threatened to form. "I caught him cheating."

Her friend scoffed, disgusted. "Seriously? What an idiot!"

"I know," Rouge agreed, looking down at her glove where the ring used to be. "I have to figure out what I'm going to do with his stuff."

"What do you mean?" Blaze crossed one leg over the other. "Just throw it all out."

"On the lawn?" the bat asked, chuckling a little.

Her confidant shrugged, a smile forming across her muzzle. "Yeah. Or..."

The cat snapped her fingers and a spark of orange fire flicked upwards before disappearing. Rouge shook her head, still smiling. "No, I shouldn't. I mean, as much as I would love to, it wouldn't be a good idea."

"Well, then, I think he should have to come get his things himself," Blaze told her, crossing her arms. "You get your key back and he can feel guilty while he hauls it all out."

Rouge hesitated and the lavender feline continued. "I can hang out here until he leaves. That way you won't be alone with him."

"Would you really be cool with that?"

"Yeah," she responded, shrugging again. "We could do it tomorrow; I haven't got anything planned."

The bat relaxed. "I really appreciate it. I don't know what I'd do if I had to face him myself. He blew up my phone while I was gone."

She picked up her cell and unlocked the screen while Blaze shook her head, disapproving of Knuckles' behavior. They went through the texts together, Rouge feeling more secure seeing them with a friend by her side; the echidna had attempted to talk his way out of what'd happened, explaining in unnecessary detail and unknowingly contradicting his own story.

Rouge felt herself getting angry again as she went through them. When she got to the end of the messages, she let Blaze give her advice on how she should word her demand for him to pick up his things the next day.

"Give him a time limit, or else his shit will be thrown out and he'll have to pick it up from the lawn," she suggested sternly.

The bat smiled again, confidently hitting send when her response had been perfected. Then she put the phone on silent and turned to Blaze. "Thank you for being here."

"No problem, Rouge," the fire princess replied softly. "Whenever you need me, just call."

They both stood from the couch and Rouge walked with her to the door.

Blaze said, "I'll be back tomorrow. And if something urgent happens before then, again – call me."

The jewel hunter nodded, bidding her farewell and making sure she got out of the driveway safely before locking the door for the night. Then, she went upstairs and immediately retrieved all of her jewelry from their boxes, placing the priceless accessories in her safe to avoid a theft from her untrustworthy ex.

When the safe was secure, Rouge changed into a light blue silk nightgown and brushed her teeth before settling in for bed. Lying in the dark underneath red satin sheets, the young woman felt sorrow creep back into her, and quietly cried a few tears until she managed to fall asleep.

***

Rouge unintentionally slept in, waking up in the early afternoon when the hot sun began beaming through her sheer curtains. She threw one hand across her face when the light shifted over her eyes, slowly working up the strength to get out of bed.

Squinting as her eyes adjusted to the brightness, the bat looked over at her nightstand where she'd let her phone charge while she slept. It was still on silent, so she hadn't heard when Knuckles replied to her message; it was timestamped at a few hours after hers, but he'd simply said "Ok."

So, he was accepting that their relationship was over. A part of Rouge was grateful – maybe this meant that he wouldn't try to win her back when he came by to pick up his things. Another part of her was still sad, still heartbroken that her year-long relationship had plunged down the drain in one evening.

The first thing she did, before leaving her comfortable mattress, was change her lock screen to one of a generic stock photo depicting simple blue patterns. She opened the gallery and looked through her pictures, hundreds of them flicking by as she scrolled to the bottom.

She went through and slowly deleted any photo that included Knuckles, a pit growing in her stomach as she erased memories that were now tainted by the betrayal. Questions lingered in her mind while her teal eyes scanned each image: Just how long had he been seeing Julie-Su? Since he first got the job? Or did he pursue her later?

Rouge sighed, tears welling in her eyes again, her finger shaking over the screen – so she stopped, clenched her eyes shut, and drew in a deep breath to keep from crying.

'I'm tired of crying...' her conscience whispered. 'Let's do something else.'

There were plenty more pictures to delete, but she accepted that she couldn't deal with seeing so many images of his face; his handsome, smiling face that had been hiding the despicable secret. Rouge slipped out from under her sheets and entered the master bathroom to start her morning routine, soon getting dressed and heading downstairs for breakfast.

She decided to treat herself, cooking a stack of chocolate chip pancakes so she could offer some to Blaze later. With a smooth blend of coffee brewing, she sat at the kitchen table and flipped through a magazine to pass the time.

***

Blaze showed up about an hour later, lightly knocking on Rouge's front door and quickly being let in. She accepted Rouge's offer of pancakes and coffee, the pair chatting for a while until they heard the deep bass of Knuckles' car radio bumping down the street.

Rouge's heart dropped to her stomach; Blaze, noticing her stressed expression, offered to answer the door. The bat remained in the kitchen while her friend waited for the echidna to pull into the driveway, hearing a creak when Blaze opened the door.

"Knuckles," the cat greeted coldly, glaring at him as he approached the entrance.

He stopped, his expression subdued. "Oh, Blaze. I didn't expect to see you here."

"Expect the unexpected," she replied, turning to allow him room to enter. "Don't drag your big feet."

His eyebrows furrowed a bit at her insult, stepping inside and suddenly being stopped again. Blaze held out her hand and ordered, "Rouge's key."

Violet eyes stared at her for a few seconds, the redhead not wanting to relinquish his only copy. But he soon complied, dropping it into her palm and continuing into the living room.

"Where's Rouge?" he asked.

The bat's ears perked at the mention of her name, her heartbeat quickening, but the cat answered cryptically. "She left with a friend, so she's somewhere in town – it's none of your business where, exactly."

Her snarky reply sparked a bit of jealousy within him, the echidna immediately assuming that his ex had already found another man. He clenched his fist, but ultimately kept his composure as he grabbed his wristwatch from the end table.

Knuckles knew that Blaze was not to be threatened, and he didn't exactly have the energy to fight, so he calmly climbed the stairs to retrieve his belongings. Rouge was relieved that he was smart enough not to push further, and took the key when her friend brought it to her.

Blaze gave her a reassuring smile before returning to stand by the stairs, watching while Knuckles repeatedly carried items from the upstairs to his car. She kept an eye out for anything that looked like it belonged to Rouge, but the knucklehead was at least intelligent enough not to take anything that wasn't his.

Having neglected to bring boxes, it took him countless trips back and forth to get everything, wasting a chunk of the afternoon. It was obvious he had planned to drag it out, intending to give himself time to talk with Rouge. But, thinking that she was in town, he instead endured silent burning gazes from Blaze as he passed her. When he'd retrieved the last of his possessions, he lingered in the doorway and turned to the princess.

"Tell Rouge I'm sorry," he said, following it up despite Blaze rolling her eyes. "Even if she doesn't forgive me. Just tell her."

"Mhm," responded the cat, defiance permeating from her blank expression.

She closed the door directly behind him as he stepped out, audibly locking it again and visibly watching through the front window while he backed his car out onto the street. Blaze returned to the kitchen once the BMW was out of sight, Rouge standing from her seat.

"Thank you," the bat blurted before her friend could speak.

"Anytime. Hey, would you want to go somewhere for dinner with Silver and me? Later tonight, we could get drinks and get you out of this place for a while."

The suggestion caused a memory to rush forward in Rouge's mind – the promise she'd made to the hedgehog from the coffee shop.

A smile crept across her glossy lips. "I can't, actually. I just remembered I have somewhere to be."

Blaze recognized her coy expression, lowering one eyebrow in a display of intrigue. "Oh? Where's that?"

"Tell you what," the bat started, "how about we go out tomorrow night and I'll tell you about it?"

The cat flashed her sharp canines in a supportive grin. "Sure! It better be something good if I'm having to wait for it."

"Well, you know my plans are always good," Rouge chuckled, Blaze conceding to the claim with a nod.

They headed to the front door and walked out together, Rouge relocking it and approaching her car. Blaze opened her driver's side door and said, "So I'll see you tomorrow. Let's just say around dinner time; you can show up whenever and we'll head out then."

"Sounds good to me," the bat replied happily, then ducked under her car's roof to slide behind the wheel.

Blaze pulled out before her and drove down the street in the same direction that Knuckles had taken. And when Rouge sped down the opposite way, she was finally able to smile effortlessly.

#sonic fanfiction #ship fanfic #rouge's heart #rouge's heart chapter 3 #dracaria fics #shadouge #shadrouge #anti-knuxouge #rouge the bat #shadow the hedgehog #knuckles the echidna #blaze the cat #writing

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dracarialove · 1 month

Text

📄F it, I'm posting my finished fics here, too 📄

*Check the 'rouge's heart' tag if you haven't read chapter 1

[Chapter 2: Betrayal]

Rouge sat on the plush white living room couch, fiddling with a communication device while a random dramedy played on the television. Knuckles came down the stairs, doing up a navy blue tie, and hesitated when he saw her.

He'd hoped to slip out while she was washing dishes, but reluctantly approached the back of the couch to tell her goodbye. He leaned over the bat's shoulder and planted a sweet kiss on her cheek before straightening his posture.

"Bye, babe," he said nonchalantly, Rouge smiling as she turned to look at him. "I'm going to work."

"Work?" the confused woman repeated, watching him walk to the front door. "It's almost sundown!"

The echidna stopped at the mahogany entrance, one mitted hand on the doorknob. He replied over his shoulder, "Yeah... my boss is on a kick of working away from the office; he held a whole meeting about doing performance reviews on a more personal level."

He hesitated again, wanting to leave the excuse there as he squeezed the doorknob. But Rouge was staring at him, perplexed and expecting further clarification. "It's stupid, um... but he's the boss, you know? Kind of a weirdo, so I didn't want him coming here – I offered to let him do my performance review at the apartment."

"Oh," his fiancée replied, mulling over the explanation for a second. Then she smiled, allowing the echidna to let out the breath he'd been holding. "I guess there's nothing wrong with a little change. Strange, but I can't say it's the weirdest thing I've ever heard."

Knuckles chuckled, turning the doorknob. "Gotta go. Love ya."

She returned the sentiment and waved goodbye, her man quickly stepping out and closing the door behind him. Placing the communication device on the glass coffee table, Rouge stood from the couch, then turned off the TV and went into the kitchen.

She picked up her cell phone, thinking about calling Blaze for an evening chat. Before she could open the contact, a stack of papers sitting on the kitchen table caught her eye. Looking them over, it seemed to be a business contract, stapled and stamped, with Knuckles' signature at the bottom.

Figuring he would need it for work, Rouge picked up the stack and placed her cell phone back on the kitchen counter. Walking over to the front window, she could see that Knuckles' red BMW was already gone from the driveway, so she grabbed her keys and went out to her own car.

Stepping into her cherry-scented white Corvette, the bat predicted that she would be able to get the contract to him before his boss arrived – intending to wish him luck before she returned home. She admired the way her engagement ring twinkled as the sky darkened.

***

When she got to Knuckles' apartment, she parked next to his car, noticing a gray convertible sitting in the space on the other side of the BMW. It made Rouge raise an eyebrow as she exited her car, knowing that the convertible belonged to Julie-Su, one of Knuckles' coworkers. The bat had only met her briefly when she'd picked up her fiancé after an office party, so seeing the vehicle next to his struck her as suspicious.

'Maybe she lives in the complex somewhere,' Rouge thought, trying to justify it as she approached the stairs that led to the echidna's door.

Though she attempted to quiet the nagging voice telling her that something wasn't right, she also took each step cautiously, placing her weight on the balls of her feet to avoid clicking her heels against the metal.

The worried woman was tense, her fingers unconsciously bending the stack of business papers when she spotted a 'Do Not Disturb' sign hanging from Knuckles' doorknob. She almost immediately grabbed the knob, but stopped and leaned forward to extend one large ear near the door.

She heard his voice, low and muffled. Then a chuckle – a womanly chuckle. The bat's heart raced, her face flushing hot as jealousy rushed through her in an instant. She gripped the doorknob, pushing before it was even fully turned.

The door opened loudly, and she caught the two echidnas pulling away from each other as Knuckles gasped. Julie-Su's hand was resting on his knee, and there was a light smudge of pink lipstick on the redhead's lips.

Rouge's grip on the stapled papers tightened again, crumpling them in her palm as her eyes angrily darted between the pair. Julie-Su's eyes were large, staring at the bat in confusion while she removed her hand.

Knuckles' face twisted into an expression of horror and guilt. The betrayed woman couldn't find her voice for a moment, her gaze finally sticking to Knuckles and causing him to speak up.

"R-Rouge," he stammered. "Uh, w-what are you doing here? I-"

Her growing rage pushed her mouth to speak before she even knew what she wanted to say, interrupting the echidna with a raised tone. "How dare you! We're engaged!"

She thrust her left hand forward, flashing the ring – Julie-Su stared at it, her mouth agape as Rouge continued. "And you're having an affair?!"

While Knuckles nervously stuttered to conjure a response, the pink echidna blinked and her expression instantly turned to anger. She whipped her head in the cheater's direction, her long locks flicking around her body before settling. Pushing herself from the couch, she slammed her gloved fists against her hips and raised her voice, as well.

"Hold up, you're engaged? You said she wasn't your girl!"

Knuckles blushed in embarrassment, his tongue still too tied to reply. Julie-Su grabbed her purse from the floor and headed for the door, almost bumping into Rouge as she stopped and turned to him again.

"Lose my number," she ordered angrily, avoiding eye contact with Rouge as she walked out and stomped down the stairs.

"Wait, Julie!" Knuckles finally managed to shout, standing.

Rouge's expression twisted to one of disgust. "'Wait, Julie'? You don't give a fuck about me? I can't believe you!"

"Babe, let's just talk-" pleaded Knuckles.

She interrupted him with a scoff, dropping the papers and swiftly shimmying the engagement ring off her finger. "Talk? No, I've had it with you. We're through!"

Throwing the ring to the floor, she glared at him for a brief second before turning to leave. The bat struggled to tune out the excuses flying frantically from his mouth as he began walking around the couch. She slammed the door behind her, hopping off the balcony and gliding down to her car while Julie-Su pulled out of her parking spot.

By the time Knuckles reopened the door, Rouge was climbing into the driver's seat; she started the ignition while he leapt down the steps two at a time. Still seething, she refused to look up at him and jerked her car backwards, peeling away from the apartment in the opposite direction that Julie had gone.

'Bastard!' her mind shouted, the furious bat unable to hold back tears as she sped away. The rest of her thoughts were angry, jumbled, a flurry of incoherent emotions that forced rivers from her eyes while she tried to focus on the road.

Shaking, she gripped the steering wheel tightly and drove in silence – besides the screaming in her own head – until she reached a coffee shop where her foot dropped absent-mindedly against the brake. She swung her car into an empty space and sat parked, falling back against the black leather seat and staring angrily up at the sun visor. There were a couple of people sitting outside, so she didn't yell to herself like she wanted. Instead, she quietly cried it out, silently calling herself stupid and cursing Knuckles for his betrayal.

When her heart beat had slowed and the tears couldn't flow anymore, Rouge took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. She gathered the strength to sit up again, then flipped the sun visor down and looked into the attached rectangular mirror. Her eyes were still wet, teal irises shining back at her, and transparent streaks ran down her cheeks.

Beginning to collect herself, she reached into the glove compartment for tissues and gently wiped away the moisture. Then, glancing at the coffee shop sign, she sighed and flipped the visor back up. She decided it would be a good idea to go inside for a quick cup of tea, not feeling well enough to go back home just yet.

After ordering, the tired-looking cashier handed her the steaming cup and yawned the moment she turned around; Rouge took the hot drink to a two-person table nearby and sat for a while, ruminating between sips.

She was still shaking a bit, mostly staring at her own reflection inside the mug. Soon, a male hedgehog exited the back room of the shop and relieved the other employee, who promptly left while Rouge remained lost in thought.

The black hedgehog looked her way, noticing the bat's glum expression and finding it surprising that she was alone. He wondered what was bothering her, perplexed that a pretty young woman would be sitting in a coffee shop instead of partying at the nearby clubs.

The stoic man kept a subtle eye on her, eventually becoming curious enough to approach the lone patron. He quietly cleared his throat before rounding the counter.

"Hi," said the hedgehog in a deep, smooth voice.

Rouge looked up, caught a bit off guard, and was met with the most striking crimson eyes she'd ever seen. They were matched by red highlights along his silky black quills, his expression entirely neutral as he stood in a gray apron, white chest hair escaping the collar.

She straightened in her seat, subconsciously perfecting her posture while her gaze remained glued to his. The bat was a little embarrassed that she hadn't noticed him walking up to her; and she wouldn't have been in the mood to speak with him if he weren't shockingly handsome.

"Oh, hi," she responded, her tone shaky from the crying.

"Are you enjoying your tea?" he asked, looking down and pointing at the half-empty cup.

"Oh, yes, I am," Rouge answered, then noticed the nametag stuck to his apron. "Do you work here?"

She immediately felt dumb for asking, but the hedgehog didn't miss a beat in his response. "Yes, I've been here for a while. Truthfully, I only took the job so I could get free coffee. It calms me."

Rouge appreciated the softness in his voice; although not very chipper, his energy matched hers in the moment. All things considered, she found it friendly enough that he was talking to her, the sad bat feeling a bit grateful for the light conversation. Although she was too drained to smile, her eyes brightened a little more.

"Not a bad gig," she said. "Seems pretty quiet in here."

The hedgehog nodded and there was a moment of silence between them. His eyes drifted back down to her mug, and she got the feeling that he didn't know what else to say. Then he looked back up and took a step forward, extending his gloved hand.

"Shadow," he said simply, ignoring that she had already seen his nametag.

She reached out and pressed her palm against his, shaking a couple of times. He had a firm grip, and his hand was warm. "I'm Rouge."

"I'll let you finish your tea," replied Shadow, taking his hand back as she let go. "But maybe you could come by tomorrow."

He shrugged and added, "If you have the time."

Rouge's heart skipped a beat and she managed a faint smile. "I just might do that."

He nodded again, then returned to the counter just before another customer entered the building. The newly-single jewel hunter finished her drink – sneaking glances at Shadow while he worked – then offered a quick wave to him before leaving.

She felt a little more energized as she climbed into her car, then made the drive back home and confronted the question of what to do with Knuckles' belongings.

#sonic fanfiction #ship fanfic #rouge's heart #rouge's heart chapter 2 #dracaria fics #shadouge #shadrouge #anti-knuxouge #rouge the bat #shadow the hedgehog #knuckles the echidna #julie-su the echidna #writing

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