Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ The Babbysitter Affair ❯ Acceptance and Betrayal ( Chapter 14 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

The Babysitter Affair: Chapter 14

It was nearly dusk now. Even in betwixt the transition into night, the town and its neighbors were still filled with bustling sounds of business.

Nearly every being took part in this regardless if they wanted to or not. But there was one individual who separated himself from it all.

Perched atop a high hill that overlooked the whole city, piercing eyes of garnet absorbed the scenery with disgust.

Everything around him seemed to have a place; seemed to have a reason except for him.

He had no reason to be around others. No one wanted him.

Especially not her.

Feeling as if he had made a fool of himself, Shadow cursed his very being and existence.

It was a mistake for him to get involved in her life again.

She didn't need him, or so he thought.

“Rouge...” he uttered. Her name tumbled from his lips like an arid leaf separating from its branch and breaking apart in the wind.

His mind reeled back to the few moments he was granted to see her again and to speak with her. Her smile, her glistening eyes---they were everything to him.

There was a time she showed those most precious treasures only to him.

But what did he expect, she was married. And staying married for 4 years had to have held some importance.

Wrought completely in his downtrodden thoughts, he exhaled heavily.

He had already told himself that he would have to tell her goodbye.

He already accepted that fact.

But he didn't disregard his confession. He wanted to tell her how he felt back then and why he did what he did with not showing up for her wedding.

After he did that, he would leave. It was only fair.

He felt like such a fool leading himself on, knowing the true consequence.

Allowing another sigh to pass, he stood to his feet and aimlessly scaled the horizon before him.

Moments later, his cell rang. Carelessly, he snatched it up and checked the number.

It was Rouge.

His features hardened at this and he rested the phone at his side.

He allowed it to ring at least 3 more times, not bothering to answer it.

He had no desire to cut things off over the phone.

He had to tell her in person. He had a pretty good idea where she was.

“...” He thought to himself for a moment. Was he ready to do this?

After that thought passed, another sound emerged from his phone, but it was a text message instead.

Holding up the device, he rolled it open and recognized it to be from Sonic.

“What does he want...” he groused and opened the message.

His dejected eyes rapidly traveled from left to right repeatedly as he read the message.

“Shadow! Knux found out about you! Did you really spend two days alone with Rouge?? Knux won't be happy! I don't think you should show up here while he's here. But don't go killing yourself, alright? Text me back if you get this!”

After reading, Shadow humphed and rolled his phone closed. That message didn't even deserve wasting time to delete it.

Once that was decided, he faced the direction of Dry Lagoon and prepared to leave.

Gathering a few tufts of courage, he closed his eyes and disappeared in a flash of light.

7:23 pm.

Rouge sighed in disappointment as she looked at the time on her phone.

She had called Shadow 3 times within the last 5 minutes and he hadn't bothered to answer.

And if he wasn't answering, she figured he wouldn't attempt to call her back.

With another sigh, she placed the phone in the grass and brought her knees upto her chest.

Folding her arms around them, she brought them closer and rested her head.

Automatically, thoughts and memories she had shared upto this point ran rampant through her mind.

Thoughts of Shadow, her husband, the boys...even of herself.

She had to be honest with herself. Completely honest.

A tender and delicate breeze whispered through the surrounding flora and rolled over her skin.

Though the timid gale was warm, she shivered from its touch.

And gradually she began to get a headache.

'I guess that's what I get for swimming so late in the afternoon.' she thought.

Slowly, she lifted her head and brought a hand to it.

As she did, a faint glimmer of sparkling lumina caught her attention from the corner of her eye and she turned to face it.

As she did, her eyes began to widen and her mouth opened in an emotional gape.

There, nearly cast completely in the evening's darkened glow, stood Shadow.

At his presence, the wind seemed to acknowledge it and sway in its wake.

Rouge could barely believe her eyes and she had already begun to stand.

Shadow verbally said nothing as he watched her walk over to him, but his eyes carried every one of his unspoken words.

Silently, he took note of her choice of clothing. She wore a long white t-shirt that stopped at her thighs. The color of her swimwear could clearly bee seen through it. He also kept in mind that her t-shirt was dampened.

So she was swimming while she was here? He took that into consideration.

Casually, his curious eyes traveled to her face and there they lingered.

She didn't know what to say. She didn't know weather to accuse him of not answering his phone or to greet him with a welcoming smile.

But she got the feeling the reason he was suddenly there couldn't have been too good.

Nervous, she took a breath to gather what she wanted to say, but Shadow stopped her.

Confused, she looked at him with wide fleeting eyes.

And Shadow narrowed his. She was so beautiful. And worse than that, he felt as though he had betrayed her years ago.

But now, he could finally get all of that off of his chest.

“...Rouge...” he spoke. His words were airy, yet crisp. “...There's something important I need to speak with you about...”

Fear coursed through her and stabbed continuously at her heart.

What was it? Whatever it was, it made her tremble, fearing the worse.

Seeing this, his features saddened a bit, but he continued on.

“... What I'm about to tell you, you may not want to hear. But I swore to myself after I told you, I... I would leave.

“But before that, I needed to apologize to you.”

“What? Apologize for what?”

“...Let me finish... ... I had no right to come into your life again, Rouge, I'm sorry. I knew you had moved on, but still I insisted on interfering. You requested help, and that is what I gave you. But now, you don't need me anymore.”

“That's not true!” she blurted out.

Needless to say, she got Shadow's attention, but he disregarded it. The last thing he needed now was to get his hopes up for no reason.

“What do you mean, that's not true?”

“I...I mean... Listen to yourself, Shadow! You didn't do anything wrong, yet you're accusing yourself! There's no reason for that! Yes, I'm married and yes, I had some serious problems, but you volunteered to help me, Shadow. You're my friend... my only friend.”

He raised an eyebrow. “What?”

Rouge deeply exhaled and shifted her eyes elsewhere.

Softly, he called to her. “Rouge…look at me…”

She shook her head and continued to advert her gaze. “No I…I don't deserve any of you…especially not you, Shadow…”

“Don't say that. ...I would want to say that don't blame you. But that isn't the situation here. The truth is…you did betray your husband, Rouge. Regardless of the unsettling circumstances.

“Just because you needed to get away from everything that troubled you doesn't mean you should always stay away from it. That's just running away…”

Her eyes flew to him in an instant and her breath caught in her throat. “…Running…away…?” she barely managed to whisper.

“Yes…” Shadow lightly replied back, his tone matching hers. “And because you did that…you're allowing things to be a lot harder on yourself with those choices you've made.”

Wordlessly, she looked away, then returned her attention to him. She saw an assimilation of deep passion and remorseful pain wavering in his eyes.

Pain, that she new she caused.

Now was the time to dispel it.

“I... actually have something to tell you too. But I'll wait after you're finished.”

Shadow pondered this, then decided otherwise. “Why don't we just make this a conversation...”

“...Fine...” she placidly acknowledged.

“I will be completely honest with you.”

“Agreed. So, I'll start. 4 years ago, where were you? Why did you leave?”

'Not that again' he grumbled in his mind. Taking a deep breath, he gave her an answer anyway.

“...I left because I couldn't bear seeing you with him...”

“And why not? You knew about the arrangements for months.”

“I did.”

“...Why... I needed you there with me.”

“And why was that.”

Now it was Rouge's turn.

“... Because if you were there, I would have known that...maybe I wasn't supposed to marry Knuckles.”

Shadow was taken aback by this and his eyes narrowed. “What do you mean...”

“And on my wedding day... I needed you to be there for me.”

“...To watch you marry some guy you didn't actually love back then? No thank you...”

Rouge gasped. Shadow knew? Why didn't he say anything then?

“Shadow...you knew that I didn't love him...?”

He nodded.

Anger flourished her features. “Then why did you let me marry him?!”

“It was your choice.”

“..!”

“I was your friend, not your guardian. ... You can't always look to me to always save you from the choices that you make.” he stated, calmly.

Rouge's eyes went wide and she took a startled step back.

She knew she was running away, just as Shadow said. The only reason she tried her chances with Knuckles was because it was expected of those around her.

She'd always hear talk of her and Knuckles were always arguing and how that showed they cared for one another. Or, that she and Knuckles both had serious interests in treasure hunting and the like. Why not give being with him a shot?

So when she did go through with it, and Shadow didn't stay around to mix things up, she felt hurt and lost. If Shadow wasn't there, then she only had one remaining option left and that was Knuckles.

Obviously enough, Knuckles was not her first choice. When her first choice backed down, Knuckles was on the rebound. But after she was married, was Shadow on the rebound now?

Her mixed feelings wrought havoc against her heart and in a fit of rage, she ran to Shadow and repeatedly pounded his chest with her fist.

“Why didn't you show up at the wedding!?” she cried. “Why! Why couldn't you just be there to say the words I was too afraid to!!?”

Shadow said nothing and allowed her to vent her frustration.

Why didn't he say it?

“It wasn't my problem, Rouge...”

The truth in his words instantly made her freeze. Shivering, she dared a look into his eyes. Love and hurt looked back at her.

Shadow felt bad that she was so upset, he really did. But, it was all upto her. Because of her fear to speak up at such an important and decisive moment, 4 years of obligation followed.

Not love, obligation.

She was tricking herself into thinking she loved Knuckles when she really was bitter after their marriage. To further cloud the truth, she gave him 2 boys and he loved them. She loved them too. But they didn't bring her and Knuckles any closer together.

That was her fault. Finding Shadow and allowing him back into her life again was something she still yearned for. She indirectly used his desire to help her as an anchor to keep him around.

One day, she had decided that she'd get the nerve to tell him he was still on her mind. And today seemed as good a day as any.

But now because of her foolishness, she just may lose Shadow again.

Her body began to shiver even more at this reality and she fiercely wrapped her arms around Shadow in a taut hug.

A jolt ran through him due to his body adjusting to the cold moistness of her clothing, but he controlled it.

While she sobbed against his chest, he lovingly spread his arms around her shivering frame and returned her embrace.

She had been living a lie for 4 years.

4 years.

For that sort of betrayal, she deserved to be alone. At least until she learned from her mistakes.

But now that she confessed, it was once again on him.

He chose his words carefully and tenderly as to not upset her even more.

Gingerly, he curled a lock of her hair around a finger as he spoke.

“... I've always... always loved you...Rouge” he whispered, closing his eyes as if its veil would protect him from being humiliated in his moment of bashfulness.

“...The reason I left on that day was because I couldn't bear to be around you either, not just him. When you decided to marry him, anything I ever wanted to tell you was trampled on.

“It just so happened that after the years had passed and I moved in with that insipid hedgehog, I realized how miserable I really was. I allowed myself to have one more chance to make things right and settle my feelings with you...regardless of what your answer was.

“I would have accepted both rejection and approval. But I had to just settle these emotions before I moved on...or gave up.”

Rouge was speechless as she clung onto every word he said, believing every word. Trying to laugh in their irony, she let a sniffle pass and looked up at him.

“I guess we were both at fault, huh?” she forced herself to chuckle.

A small sympathizing smile smoothed Shadow's lips and he nodded slightly.

“Yeah... I guess were are...”

Chuckling again, Rouge's expression changed from remorseful to genuine and she gave him a warm gentle smile.

“...Thank you...” she whispered.

“...For what...” he whispered back.

A soft breeze ruffled through the trees and peacefully rolled over their skin.

They had been so focused on each other, neither one realized that night had already fallen.

The air was crisp and the moon was already high in the sky.

Intrigued, Shadow made the mistake of peering directly into her eyes. Warm and inviting aquamarine gems looked back at him, cradling the reflection of the pale moonlight in its seductive brilliance.

Beautiful.

And from the semblance of his florid amorous opals, the admiring bat found herself deeply immersed within his visual affection.

So many thoughts ran through her mind at once, she couldn't think clearly.

She owed Shadow so much for just the past few days she spent with him.

She never had a friend like him who wanted to listen to her problems to help her out and have her feel comfortable.

Granted, Knuckles attempted to do the same, but she disregarded his way.

For those 4 years, she took her frustration out on her husband and gave him a hard time because they were bound by vows.

Bound by vows of which, she could have terminated before they were solidified, but she was too foolish to do it herself.

She hated to think of Shadow as being her crutch, but in many ways, he was. Without his direct influence, she wouldn't have done a lot of things she wound up regretting later.

Secretly, she adored Shadow. She always had and nothing or no one could replace or change that.

But because of her own foolishness, she made Shadow suffer too. And her husband, as well as herself.

But she could fix that.

She wanted her children to be happy. She wanted herself to be happy…she wanted Shadow and even Knuckles to be happy…

To be happy…to be consumed and engulfed in an unexplainable warmth…

Warmth…

The two of them had become so submerged in their confessions and sincerity that they failed to realize their mouths were quarreling for dominance in a very deeply heated kiss.

Their eager bodies seemed to act on their own as each movement gave hunger to another yearning.

Rouge pressed her body against Shadow and his eager hands smoothed over her curves and crept discreetly under her t-shirt.

An airy and lyrical moan drifted from Rouge as she slid her hands upto the back of his head and brought him closer. Nibbling at his bottom lip, she begged for an oral invasion to deepen their kiss even more.

He gave her what she requested.

As their endearment ensued, Shadow allowed his fingers to tease her in the most responsive places of her well-endowed womanhood.

Expectant moans were his reward and he continued his display of hungry affection.

Slowly, he slid his hands beneath her and lifted her upto his waist.

Without protest, her strong legs engulfed his sturdy body and her hands gripped at his dark quills.

Discreetly, he rubbed his eagerness against her.

When he received no objection, he lightly tugged the bottom of her bikini to the side and nuzzled the tip of his pulsing desire at her inviting warmth.

Rouge was still in her own world, disoriented and drunk in the compassion of the moment.

It wasn't until a few seconds later that a quick jolting reaction from her body caused her to slip out of her sweet delusion.

Her dazed eyes racing, she gazed straight into Shadow's eyes and witnessed nothing but love.

Not a hint of lust hid within his eyes. His expression was dear, genuine and only shown towards her.

And she loved that.

Warm tears of joy began to set themselves free from her moist eyes and she hugged him sweetly.

“Please...” she pleaded in a near breathless whisper. “Please, Shadow...”

Eyeing her silently, Shadow said nothing in reply, but watched as her expression changed from comfort to ecstasy.

Gradually, he too became indulged in their spontaneous intimacy and lightly closed his eyes.

The wind continued to make its quiet and tantalizing wake through the area and playfully surround itself around all things living.

Minutes passed that seemed like hours as Shadow continued to give himself to Rouge and she completely accepted him.

Moments later, they both reached a height of their newfound level of love and clung to the other as ripples of their deliquescent copulation were exchanged.

As they caught their breath, they shared another kiss and Shadow hugged her tightly.

Slowly, he brought her down to the grass.

Smiling mischievously, she laid on her back, and spread her wings to remove the factor of any discomfort. Tugging at his white tuft of fur, she beckoned to him with her left hand.

Wordlessly, Shadow returned her smile, but then it began to fade when his eyes trailed over to the rings on her finger.

Of course, she was still bound to another man, but he disregarded that.

He didn't want to think of what would happen after this night.

This night and this moment, he wanted to be hers.

For this night and at this moment, they were no longer committing adultery, they were just another man and woman expressing their true feelings to one another.

Clasping his hand over the very evidence he knew he had interfered with, Shadow let denial seep into his mind and cognitively made Rouge his—and only his.

Quietly, he gestured in slight movements for her to lay on her side.

Once she did, she relaxed her wings and watched him bring one of her legs over his shoulder.

His impassioned eyes studied her luscious and delectable form and discreetly, he began to move his hips.

Set free to bask in their love, Rouge shut her eyes and gently called his name.

Shadow watched as she moved her head from side to side, not caring in the least of its entanglement and assimilation with the grass beneath her.

Every worry, every complaint, ever dilemma that would be caused from them due to their actions—all of that didn't matter now.

Shadow tenderly paced every breath, every coo, every sweet sound that lifted from Rouge's being with his own rhythm.

And for the second time that night, their symphonic propensity was announced to the night sky above.

Panting, Shadow's weary body fell next to Rouge in the grass and he hugged her closely.

Also catching her breath, Rouge clung to him and nuzzled in his chest fur.

A light gale passed over them, carrying a twinge of frigidness. Rouge shivered a bit from it and Shadow did the same.

But then his body shook again with a bit more force than before.

Rouge wanted to face him, but instead she gave him another loving squeeze and closed her eyes. She already knew how he felt.

For the first time in years, Shadow shed sincere tears of longing and acceptance.

Shuddering again, he kissed her on the cheek and allowed his tepid tears to pass.

“... I love you, Rouge...” he whispered candidly. “...I love you...”

“I love you too, Shadow.” she honestly whispered back. And she meant every word.

Under the witness of the heavens and celestial bodies that hovered above, Shadow and Rouge slept peacefully in the comfort of each other's embraces.

In the middle of the night, Knuckles woke up with a start.

Sonic had let Knuckles use his bed, along with his sons, while he slept in Amy's room.

Sonic made it very clear that he was sleeping on the floor while Amy had the bed, but Knuckles let it slide.

Quickly, the disgruntled echidna checked the small boys.

They were sleeping soundly on either side of him.

Relieved, he glanced at the time and frowned drowsily when he saw it was after midnight already.

Amy would have her interview later today. If he didn't see her off, she'd have a fit so he had to be ready for that.

Sleepily, he looked around for Rouge, but remembered she was still on vacation and he wasn't at their home.

Thinking for a moment, he then chuckled and shrugged off the sudden discomfort he felt.

“Must have just been a bad dream.” he reassured himself and managed to drift back off to sleep.