Work Text:
Stars shining on the scenery beneath the hill he was standing on.
The broken moon was shinning at the broken pieces of homes after the latest fight.
It's Nighttime.
Usually the time when most...other lifeforms sleep.
However, the ultimate lifeform doesn’t need sleep, or at least he hadn’t before. Shadow doubted he needed it now.
But if you counted the times he’d used up almost all his energy without the inhibitor rings, then maybe that could qualify as sleep.
Shadow would rather call it a coma state.
Tonight, Shadow was hunting for Chaos Emeralds. The blue hedgehog had used them to turn super, scattering them across the world. AGAIN.
What led to the distruction ahead.
Pathetic.
But the point is, he didn't really know where to start. And without teleporting...
"Hey, sweetheart, what are you doing here so late?"
A deep woman’s voice broke through the quiet night.
Shadow didn’t need to look to know who it was.
The sound of wings cutting through the air gave her away way before she even spoke.
"What are you doing here, Rouge? Don’t you need your beauty sleep?"
He asked, still facing forward, not bothering to turn around and face her.
Is she out for small talk?
"Oh, you know,"
she replied, her tone light, flying in a sitting position with crossed legs.
"I’m a bat, sweetheart. I’m nocturnal"
"So are hedgehogs."
His voice was calm.
Definitely small talk.
Rouge smirked, and landed beside him.
"That might’ve worked if I didn’t know you were part alien. And who knows what their sleep schedule is?
I bet even you don’t know."
Shadow glanced at her, his expression still serious. He did know.
"Very funny. You know I don’t need sleep."
Rouge’s smirk softened and she looked up at the stars too. They sure were beatiful tonight...
"Yeah, well, you’re missing out big time. I may not sleep at night, but boy, do I love a good nap during the day.
Catching up on my beauty sleep, you know. Maybe you should try it sometime, handsome."
Shadow grunted, leading his attention to the night sky.
He'd rather not.
Something told him that if he did sleep, it would only bring nightmares.
And some... old memories.
So no.
Rouge was still looking at him, as if she could read his thoughts.
Hm.
"It’s strange," he noticed. "There are other nocturnal creatures around, other hedgehogs, too, but they don’t hunt at night. Only you do."
This wasnt just about small talk, was it?
Rouge tilted her head, a playful smile returning to her lips.
"Oh well, what can I say? They’ve got a lot of diurnal friends. I guess they’ve adapted to it.
But if you ever feel like hunting with me…"
Shadow turned away from her, ready to sprint away.
Not teleport.
He still had emeralds to collect after all.
"I'll pass."
Rouge theatrically exaggerated the dissappintment.
"Oh well sweetheart, your loss!"
Yet, she smirked.
"If you dont wanna hunt with me, then I will have to hunt that emerald down myself..."
Definitely not small talk.