Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ The Babbysitter Affair ❯ Regret ( Chapter 18 )

 

 

The Babysitter Affair: Chapter 18

 

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The night was cold. Frigid. Glacial. Yet, Shadow felt none of it.

He had become numb to the piercing frosty night just as much as he was becoming numb to his emotions.

He had finally given up on Rouge.

Despite the unexpected events that had taken place between the two of them, he got the closure he sought.

 

No.

 

His body tensed and shook with the fierce realization of that word.

 

No.

 

The first time he saw her again at that gas station, he was fully prepared to accept a yes just as well as a no.

But after becoming a part of her and knowing that they shared something genuine and powerful, but also so wrong at the same time...

It tore him apart.

And it still was deep down.

His body barely moved as he sighed dejectedly. Wavering carmine eyes scanned over the valley of the town below the hill he perched atop.

 

The bright glistening city lights dappled the city like illuminated ornaments.

Jewels.

 

Jewels...

 

Torn, Shadow adverted his burning gaze and allowed it to taper off into a different direction.

Being reminded of her again was something he needed to completely avoid and dispose of.

He didn't want to forget about the charming bat that once brightened his obsidian surroundings and cleansed his frigid heart with one endearing smile.

 

Outwardly, he swore to himself.

Obviously enough, discontinuing everything he had shared with this woman was no easy feat.

And unless he handled his loss and coped with his “failure”, he would continue to be haunted by the ghastly image of Rouge; smiling sweetly at him with the words “No” curving her ripened lips.

 

A shivering jolt sparked up Shadow's spine and he roughly grabbed his phone from the grass, ripping some of it out of the ground in the process.

If the glowing indication of a message didn't catch his eyes, he would have thrown the device off the cliff.

 

A low sound caught between a growl and an unnerved sigh leveled in his throat as he read over the message's contents.

 

No surprise, it was from Sonic. Finally.

 

“Where R U?”

 

Shadow didn't blink as he read over the short message again through hooded eyes.

 

“Overlooking my path to ruin—studded by light.” Was his quickly punched-in reply.

Sighing, Shadow tossed the phone into the wispy grass beside him and swung his legs over the edge.

Silently, his thoughts deceptively raced feverishly throughout his mind and seemed to balance on the brisk current of the wind itself.

 

He began to feel foolish and pathetic for allowing himself to fall into such deep emotions of regret.

He should have felt at peace. Peace for receiving closure. But it slipped by him as a curtail of wind did the same.

 

Sensing the sudden alter in his surroundings of another, Shadow's narrowed eyes tore through the dark and pinned themselves into widening viridian.

 

An awkward, but accepting silence fell between them before the newcomer decided to speak first.

“I thought you might be here.” Sonic worded softly, hints of concern littered throughout his tone.

A shrug was all Shadow chose to give as Sonic took a seat next to him on the edge.

Also swinging his legs over, Sonic leaned back on his hands and gazed up at the dusky royal velvet reigning over them.

“I've always wondered what was up there holding the sky in place....” the azure hedgehog rambled in hopes to find a feasible subject to talk about without causing Shadow more grief than necessary.

“....”

“There were times I'd think if I didn't run fast enough, the sky would fall on me!” he managed a dry chuckle and turned to look over at Shadow. A pang of guilt shot through him from his comrade's distant and dejected appearance, but he continued on.

Shadow still being there listening spoke volumes on its own.

 

“Crazy, isn't it?”

Finally the dark hedgehog sighed and glared at his blue counterpart. “Did you come here to speak nonsense or did you actually come with a purpose?”

Sonic feigned being hurt and lightly clutched at his heart. “Ouch, Shadow.” he smirked faintly.

Then as if a switch was flipped, his features became very serious.

“We both know why I'm here.”

“...”

“We need to talk. And finally that you've got the time to listen, I want this to be settled. YOU actually called ME.” Sonic emphasized, his tone solidifying as if trying to talk Shadow out of attempting to take his own life.

Shadow said nothing, but slowly returned his vision to the sparkling city below, contemplating.

“Forget it, Sonic...”

“Shadow...”

“...I'm not going to jump.” Shadow finished and shut his eyes.

 

It could have been a trick of the lights below them or a play of the shadows cloaked around them, but Sonic could have sworn he saw a flicker of a smirk curve Shadow's lips before it dissolved back into a flat line.

 

“Anyway,” Shadow continued, his tone level and calm. “You already know who and what I wanted to talk to you about. So let's talk, Sonic.”

 

To this, the younger male smiled broadly. “It took you long enough!”

“Hmph”

Sonic laughed lightly, then paused suddenly when his voice became assimilated with the vocals of Dragonforce's “Trail of Broken Hearts”.

 

Shadow snorted at the choice in song while Sonic whipped out his cell phone and answered it.

 

“Yel-low? Oh h-hey, Amy” Sonic meekly stated, giving Shadow a look the darker male deemed pathetic, but amusing coming from Sonic.

“Yeah, I found him. ... ... Nah, you don't have to--”

“PUT ME ON SPEAKERPHONE NOW, I SAID!” Amy's feverish pitch sliced into the air so sharply, Sonic had to hold the phone away from his ear a good distance.

Shadow chuckled lightly and crossed his arms. “Well, Sonic? Doing what the lady demands?”

Sonic nervously broke into cold sweat, but masked it quickly under a thin layer of suaveness.

“Shut up!” he playfully mouthed at Shadow, then returned the phone to his ear.

“Of course, Amy.” He cupped a hand over the receiver and whispered to Shadow, “But it's not like we need to hear her on speakerphone.”

“How about we don't need to hear her at all...” Shadow smirked, slightly relieved to hear Amy's frustrated growl on the other line.

“I HEARD THAT!!” she screeched, then cleared her throat. “ But, Shadow it IS nice to hear you're alright” she explained, exchanging the word 'alive' with 'alright' at the last second.

“Hmph.” Shadow frowned. Yet, he was actually content to hear his friend's voice.

 

Silently, he listened to Sonic and Amy bicker with the other in a one-sided mock argument while his thoughts fluttered elsewhere.

If Knuckles was still at the house, he wouldn't dare step foot in there. And he preferred to not visit Rouge anytime soon.

His choices were few and limited. Yet, he would make the most of it.

 

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to be continued

 

 

-Mel