Shadow and Amy sat at her dining room table. Amy picked lasagna for them and, with the two of them, preparing the dinner took no time at all. As they ate their meal, Amy told Shadow about the incident with Chaos. The black hedgehog listened closely to every detail, since he wasn't around when it happened. He also found himself intrigued by her other tales, such as the trip to Maginaryworld, the Babylon Rouges, and how she and Sonic met.
Shadow was about to get up for seconds when Amy decided to ask him something. "I've been talking all night, Shadow, so I'd like to ask you something." Once he nodded, the girl looked a bit uneasy as she chose her words as carefully as possible. "Shadow, I know you don't like to talk about your past, especially nowadays, but..." He saw her unease and said, "It's all right, Amy. I believe you've earned at least one question. Go ahead."
"Well," Amy began hesitantly, "It's about Maria." Shadow tensed up upon hearing that name. Amy noticed this and immediately backpedaled. "Um, never mind. It's none of my business!" After a moment, Shadow sighed and said, "No, Amy, it's fine. I...I made a promise that I wouldn't let my past rule me. I may relapse every now and then, but I assure you, I will not break my word. Go on." Amy exhaled, thankful that his response wasn't volatile. "Ok, then. Well, I know she meant a lot to you. Was she...a special lover of yours?"
Strangely enough, Shadow softly chuckled to himself when he heard this. "No, no, nothing like that. Maria was like an older sister to me. I looked up to her and how strong she seemed." Amy blinked and he continued, "Yes, 'seemed'. You see, she was suffering from a fatal illness..."
Shadow was about to get up for seconds when Amy decided to ask him something. "I've been talking all night, Shadow, so I'd like to ask you something." Once he nodded, the girl looked a bit uneasy as she chose her words as carefully as possible. "Shadow, I know you don't like to talk about your past, especially nowadays, but..." He saw her unease and said, "It's all right, Amy. I believe you've earned at least one question. Go ahead."
"Well," Amy began hesitantly, "It's about Maria." Shadow tensed up upon hearing that name. Amy noticed this and immediately backpedaled. "Um, never mind. It's none of my business!" After a moment, Shadow sighed and said, "No, Amy, it's fine. I...I made a promise that I wouldn't let my past rule me. I may relapse every now and then, but I assure you, I will not break my word. Go on." Amy exhaled, thankful that his response wasn't volatile. "Ok, then. Well, I know she meant a lot to you. Was she...a special lover of yours?"
Strangely enough, Shadow softly chuckled to himself when he heard this. "No, no, nothing like that. Maria was like an older sister to me. I looked up to her and how strong she seemed." Amy blinked and he continued, "Yes, 'seemed'. You see, she was suffering from a fatal illness..."
Shadow went on to explain Maria's battle with NIDS, and the events regarding Professor Gerald's search for a cure that lead to the Ultimate Lifeform's creation. He described his experiences on the ARK, how he was born, the creation of the Biolizard...everything. He even shared some of the more humorous memories he had managed to get back. Amy was surprised, shocked, amused and saddened at the appropriate moments.
Then, Shadow began to tell of Maria's death. It was here that, little by little, he began to lose his composure. He did his best to stay calm, and he kept talking, allowing his words to stream from his mouth. He wasn't thinking anymore. It was as if a dam had burst and his memories, and the painful emotions they brought, that had been locked up were now raging through him. He kept going and going, and as he did, Amy remained silent and listened, captivated by the hedgehog in front of her and the traumatic event he was forced to endure.
He kept speaking, trying to keep steady. Soon, however, Shadow found himself doing something he never thought he would again...he started to cry.
He tried to ignore the tears, of course, but they would not stop. At that moment, Amy quickly got up, walked around the table and embraced Shadow. He did not return the gesture, as he was too stunned to react. As he tried to comprehend what was happening, he heard something in his ear. It was Amy, sobbing quietly. "I'm sorry, Shadow...I'm so sorry..."
Upon hearing those words, those simple, honest words, Shadow the Hedgehog's emotional stability was broken. He slowly, but fiercely returned Amy's embrace and allowed himself to cry, as if he'd been holding it in for a long, long time.
Then, Shadow began to tell of Maria's death. It was here that, little by little, he began to lose his composure. He did his best to stay calm, and he kept talking, allowing his words to stream from his mouth. He wasn't thinking anymore. It was as if a dam had burst and his memories, and the painful emotions they brought, that had been locked up were now raging through him. He kept going and going, and as he did, Amy remained silent and listened, captivated by the hedgehog in front of her and the traumatic event he was forced to endure.
He kept speaking, trying to keep steady. Soon, however, Shadow found himself doing something he never thought he would again...he started to cry.
He tried to ignore the tears, of course, but they would not stop. At that moment, Amy quickly got up, walked around the table and embraced Shadow. He did not return the gesture, as he was too stunned to react. As he tried to comprehend what was happening, he heard something in his ear. It was Amy, sobbing quietly. "I'm sorry, Shadow...I'm so sorry..."
Upon hearing those words, those simple, honest words, Shadow the Hedgehog's emotional stability was broken. He slowly, but fiercely returned Amy's embrace and allowed himself to cry, as if he'd been holding it in for a long, long time.
The meal was over, and so was Shadow's painful tale. He and Amy cleaned up after themselves and decided to hand wash the dishes. Their chore was done silently, as the two were still a bit somber from a moment ago. After a while, Shadow spoke.
"Thank you." Amy turned to him. "Hm? For what?" Shadow said, "For...earlier." Derisively, he added, "I must've seemed rather pitiful to you." Amy smiled as she washed a plate and said, "No, not at all! I mean, it was surprising to have the big bad Ultimate Lifeform crying in front of me and all, but I think you needed it. I haven't seen you cry since the second time we met." Shadow remained silent as the memory flashed in his mind. Amy took that as a sign to continue. "You know, we never did get a chance to talk about that moment. I myself must have seemed pretty silly myself, saying all those things to you."
"You seemed freakin' stupid, actually," Shadow bluntly stated.
"Hey!"
"At first," he continued. "What you said, though...Maria felt the same way about the people on this planet. Well, it's how I was able to remember what Maria really wanted of me, and what I truly promised her." Amy was taken aback by this information. She had no idea her words held that weight back then. "So," he finished as he dried the last piece of silverware, "I owe you quite a bit, Amy." He then reached forward, dried her ungloved, dishpan hand, and kissed it. Amy's face reddened and her heart started pounding. No guy had ever done something so forward to her! "Um, y-you're welcome, Shadow. I-I'm the one who should be thanking you, though."
"For what?" he asked.
"For not shoving me off and treating me like a nuisance, for being patient with me, for training me and making me stronger...for being there for me." Shadow nodded and said, "It's no trouble. Once you're finished, you'll be more than capable of handling yourself." His statement only served to dampen Amy's mood somewhat, as she remembered what the end of her training meant for her...and for them. Shadow noticed her change in mood and said, "Hm? What's wrong now?"
Amy shook it off and said, "It's nothing." She then glanced at the clock and said, "Looks like it's gotten late. We've got quite a day ahead of us tomorrow! I can't wait to shop 'til I drop once more!" She pumped her fist in excitement. Shadow just grumbled. 'Damn it all. I forgot about that...'
"Well, I'm taking a shower and heading to bed," Amy said with a stretch. "You're free to find a place in the living room to crash in." She walked to the bathroom, unconsciously swaying her hips. For some reason, Shadow found himself struggling not to look at her. When she disappeared down the hall, Shadow was alone with his thoughts. He wondered, 'Why did I say all that to her? More importantly, why was I so damn open during dinner? I've never shared that much with anyone, least of all her. It's like she has this empathic ability to allow people to be more honest with themselves...'
As he contemplated this, Amy poked her head from the hallway and said, "For the record, I have no problem washing those knives again, so you'd better not peek!" Shadow glared and replied, "Give me a break, Rose. Why would I possibly want to watch you bathe?" Amy glared back as she replied, "You certainly had no problem peeking the first time, you little perv." Shadow threw his hands up in irritation and exclaimed, "For the hundredth time, I was not trying to peek!!"
"Just wait your turn for the shower, mister!" With that, she was gone again.
"I see that opinionated streak still needs to be beaten out of her..." Shadow growled.
"What was that?!"
Shadow sighed. "Nothing!"
"Thank you." Amy turned to him. "Hm? For what?" Shadow said, "For...earlier." Derisively, he added, "I must've seemed rather pitiful to you." Amy smiled as she washed a plate and said, "No, not at all! I mean, it was surprising to have the big bad Ultimate Lifeform crying in front of me and all, but I think you needed it. I haven't seen you cry since the second time we met." Shadow remained silent as the memory flashed in his mind. Amy took that as a sign to continue. "You know, we never did get a chance to talk about that moment. I myself must have seemed pretty silly myself, saying all those things to you."
"You seemed freakin' stupid, actually," Shadow bluntly stated.
"Hey!"
"At first," he continued. "What you said, though...Maria felt the same way about the people on this planet. Well, it's how I was able to remember what Maria really wanted of me, and what I truly promised her." Amy was taken aback by this information. She had no idea her words held that weight back then. "So," he finished as he dried the last piece of silverware, "I owe you quite a bit, Amy." He then reached forward, dried her ungloved, dishpan hand, and kissed it. Amy's face reddened and her heart started pounding. No guy had ever done something so forward to her! "Um, y-you're welcome, Shadow. I-I'm the one who should be thanking you, though."
"For what?" he asked.
"For not shoving me off and treating me like a nuisance, for being patient with me, for training me and making me stronger...for being there for me." Shadow nodded and said, "It's no trouble. Once you're finished, you'll be more than capable of handling yourself." His statement only served to dampen Amy's mood somewhat, as she remembered what the end of her training meant for her...and for them. Shadow noticed her change in mood and said, "Hm? What's wrong now?"
Amy shook it off and said, "It's nothing." She then glanced at the clock and said, "Looks like it's gotten late. We've got quite a day ahead of us tomorrow! I can't wait to shop 'til I drop once more!" She pumped her fist in excitement. Shadow just grumbled. 'Damn it all. I forgot about that...'
"Well, I'm taking a shower and heading to bed," Amy said with a stretch. "You're free to find a place in the living room to crash in." She walked to the bathroom, unconsciously swaying her hips. For some reason, Shadow found himself struggling not to look at her. When she disappeared down the hall, Shadow was alone with his thoughts. He wondered, 'Why did I say all that to her? More importantly, why was I so damn open during dinner? I've never shared that much with anyone, least of all her. It's like she has this empathic ability to allow people to be more honest with themselves...'
As he contemplated this, Amy poked her head from the hallway and said, "For the record, I have no problem washing those knives again, so you'd better not peek!" Shadow glared and replied, "Give me a break, Rose. Why would I possibly want to watch you bathe?" Amy glared back as she replied, "You certainly had no problem peeking the first time, you little perv." Shadow threw his hands up in irritation and exclaimed, "For the hundredth time, I was not trying to peek!!"
"Just wait your turn for the shower, mister!" With that, she was gone again.
"I see that opinionated streak still needs to be beaten out of her..." Shadow growled.
"What was that?!"
Shadow sighed. "Nothing!"
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