Archive of Our Own

Cover Art by Electrikitty

Rouge stood on the rooftop of Club Rouge, leaning on a railing. The neon lights of Night Babylon were dormant at this time of day, but she still could hear the jangle of pinball machines and the clinking of glasses beneath her feet. The wind ruffled her fur, and she snapped open her flip phone. The numbers on the keypad were rubbing off due to how many times she had speed dialled the person she was about to call. She punched in the numbers and looked up, searching the skyline of Central City for a certain building.

She heard a clunk on the other end of the line. ‘What?’ Shadow asked. His voice was rough, and its timbre was even lower than usual. 

‘… Did I wake you?’

‘No.’ She heard a rustle of fabric, followed soon after by the harsh rattle of a coffee machine and the sound of a mug being slammed down on a countertop.

Rouge laughed and said, ’Has anyone ever told you you’re a terrible liar?’

‘Yes. You.’ The coffee machine switched off, followed by the sound of feet padding across the carpet and a door sliding open.

Rouge raised her eyebrows and delicately fanned herself with one hand. His morning voice was doing something to her, and she wished that she could get him to respond with answers that were more than a single word long. ‘Isn’t there something you want to tell me, darling?’

He didn’t respond for a moment. Even though she couldn’t see him, her imagination could fill in the blanks. He was probably sitting in a chair with his coffee in one hand and his phone in the other, staring at the ground with a confused look on his face. Then he cleared his throat and said, ‘… Happy birthday, Rouge.’

The gentleness in his voice almost made her drop her phone. ‘J-Jeez. I thought I’d have to get that out of you with a pair of pliers.’

‘If you’d given me time to wake up, then I would have remembered without you prompting me.’

Rouge looked up. The sun had risen hours ago, and the summer heat was already sweltering. She adjusted her teal lace bandeau and frowned. ‘Why were you still asleep?’

‘Do I need your permission to sleep in?’

‘Of course not. I was just wondering if you were okay.’

‘… I had a long night.’

Rouge’s ears flattened, and her fingers slowly tightened around the phone. ‘Are we still on for today?’

There was a moment of silence on the other end. Then he heaved a sigh. ‘I’m fine. Stop fussing.’

‘Don’t take that tone with me.’ Rouge retorted. ‘You could have had a PTSD episode for all I know.’

Shadow grunted, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Rouge shrugged and vaulted onto the railing, poising on it like a gymnast. Then, with a graceful sweep of her wings, she slung her purse over her shoulder and dove off. The wind buffeted her as she navigated the maze of Central City’s streets, and she held her phone more tightly to her ear. ‘I’ll be there in a few minutes. You better be decent by the time I arrive.’

He groaned, and she heard a sharp clink of china on metal. ‘Are you expecting me to wear clothes?’

‘You’re my arm candy for the day, and I have standards … even if you don’t.’

‘Hmph.’ Shadow abruptly hung up, and Rouge rolled her eyes.

She shot past the GUN headquarters building, catching a glimpse of Commander Tower through the window of his office. With a flutter of her wings, she came to a halt, and he noticed the shadow she cast across the floor of the room. She gave him a flirtatious wave, and he responded with a weary salute. 

Rouge stopped flapping her wings, and she abruptly fell from view, relishing the involuntary panic that flashed across Abraham’s face. Straightlaced people were always so much fun to tease. She supposed she should be nicer to the old man – it was thanks to him that she and Shadow found that their calendars were clear whenever it was time to celebrate a special occasion. She skimmed along the rooftops, darting between signs and streetlights before ascending one of the tallest buildings in Central City, looping around it in an upward spiral. 

She landed on the balcony of a penthouse apartment, folding her wings behind her. There was a metal chair to her left, with a folded newspaper lying on the seat. A half-empty coffee cup was sitting on a nearby table. She delicately picked her way across the balcony, holding out a hand to touch the blossoms in the nearby planters. Clusters of white balloon flowers glowed beneath the sun’s hot rays, and their petals felt feather-soft on her fingertips. 

Rouge turned to the balcony door, only to jump out of her skin when she saw Shadow leaning against the glass. She held a hand to her chest, and her heart was pounding more than she would care to admit. ‘Don’t do that, damn it.’ 

His crimson eyes flickered. He gave her a small smile. He was bathed in blinding sunlight, and the glare meant that she couldn’t see him clearly. ‘You startled me awake when you called me. Let’s call it even.’ Shadow glanced at the flowers, and his face reddened slightly.

Rouge saw an opening to tease him, but despite the strength inherent to every line of his figure, something about his posture seemed … fragile. She tipped her head to one side in an attempt to meet his gaze. ‘They’re beautiful. I wouldn’t have thought that you had a green thumb.’

‘I thought I’d give it a try.’ He folded his arms over his chest, staring at the flowers. ‘I’m used to destroying things. I’m not very good at keeping things alive.’ There was a hint of sadness in his voice, and she realised that he was probably talking about Maria. ‘If it weren’t for the fact that I can’t die, then I probably wouldn’t be able to keep myself alive, either …’ His eyes widened suddenly, and he winced. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘What? Why are you sorry?’

He tapped his pointer finger on his forearm, hesitating. It was a small movement, but it spoke volumes. ‘Today is about you. I didn’t mean to start talking about my past. I didn’t even want to. I just …’

Rouge clasped her hands together behind her head and sighed. ‘I might like being the centre of attention, but I don’t need the entire day to myself. Don’t get hung up on it.’

Shadow hesitated, and she saw the tension in his shoulders begin to ease. He gave her a quiet nod. ‘Are you ready to go?’

‘Nearly.’ Rouge tiptoed past him, peering into his apartment. She shielded her eyes with one hand, unable to contain her curiosity. A vinyl record player sat on a nearby side table. An electric guitar hung from the wall, and the coffee table was scattered with tools.

Rouge pressed a hand to the glass and gave him a pleading look. ’Are you ever going to invite me over, handsome?’

Shadow glanced over his shoulder, looking through the sliding door. ‘I gave you a key.’

The key burned in the pocket of Rouge’s white jeans, and she sighed. ‘I know, but it’s not the same.’

‘Are you a vampire?’ Shadow asked dryly. ‘Do you need an invitation?’

‘Of course not,’ Rouge huffed. ‘I’m a treasure hunter and a jewel thief, remember? I could let myself in with or without a key if I wanted to.’

Her fingers slipped down the glass, and she resisted the urge to slide the door open and stroll inside. It had taken her years to convince Shadow that he should move out of GUN’s headquarters. Some of Rouge’s fondest memories were of the time that she, Shadow and Omega had flatshared in the building’s subterranean levels. They’d worked together and lived together, maintaining their weapons, bandaging each other’s wounds, and raising their glasses to a world that happened to be a little better off thanks to their self-serving efforts. 

But it hadn’t been good for Shadow to be reminded of his past at every turn of every corridor. He couldn’t even cross the foyer of the headquarters building without seeing the organisation’s logo. That logo that had been emblazoned on the very uniforms of the soldiers who had raided the Ark. Joining GUN had been a way for Shadow to prove that his past no longer controlled his choices, but he always took things too far. He had agreed to take GUN up on their offer of workplace accommodation, and the rest was history.

After a lot of coaxing, Rouge had eventually convinced him to get a place of his own. She was the one who managed his finances, and she had been the one to find this place for him. She had to admit that she did miss living with him. She missed the constant, windchime-like sounds of him tinkering with his guns. She missed the way he would offer her his arm when she stumbled through their front door after far too many drinks. She missed the strength and comfort of his constant presence. 

But while she might be selfish to the core, she cared about him too much not to challenge their status quo. He may have been content with merely existing, but she had wanted him to live.

Rouge sighed and turned towards Shadow, averting her gaze. She knew that he had wanted time to settle into his new place. She also knew that it must be difficult to create a new life from scratch. Even if he didn’t verbalise it, the scattered implements of newfound hobbies and his awkward posture as he leaned against the glass told her all she needed to know. She didn’t begrudge him his privacy. She just hadn’t realised how much she would miss being by his side.

‘Just … remember to invite me over someday.’

‘Of course.’ Shadow ran a hand over his quills, and he looked almost embarrassed. ‘I’m nearly finished. It’s just been slow going.’

‘Nearly finished what?’

Shadow’s brow creased, and he nodded towards the apartment’s interior. ‘… You know.’

‘No, I don’t know. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be asking.’

Shadow’s face reddened. ‘I was … doing a few things.’

’I’ve got the day off, sweetheart. Don’t make me work for it.’

Shadow buried his face in his hand and exhaled through his teeth. ‘I was renovating the apartment. I still am, for that matter.’

‘Renovating?’

‘Yes. It’s a mainland apartment, after all.’

‘Oh.’ Rouge suddenly remembered that the homes and businesses in Central City had been designed for human occupants. He would have had to overhaul a lot of the fixtures and built-in furnishings. A realisation dawned on her, and her wings twitched. Not only had this world not been designed for him, but he had been designed for the sake of the world and everyone in it. The realisation filled her with an overwhelming sense of grief.

‘Well?’

Rouge turned, pressing one hand to the glass. ‘Sure, whatever. But …’ Her eyes widened, and her complaints vanished from her lips.

She had first seen the apartment when flying home from a jewel heist, and she had let herself in to scope it out. What was the point in waiting for an open home when you could just cut to the chase? It had been dark then, but she remembered thinking that it would be perfect for him. The roof of the building offered clear lines of sight to every part of Central City, and the apartment faced away from GUN’s headquarters. He could watch over the city with ease, but he didn’t have to be reminded of his past every time he looked out the window.

Her gaze flicked back and forth, and she began noticing subtle differences. Lamps had been mounted on the walls, and the red lampshades cast a warm glow across the room. The walls had been repainted in a shade of grey. Her eyes landed on a sofa, and she noticed several cushions and a soft blanket were strewn across it. 

She felt an inexplicable urge to cry, and she raised a hand to hide her face, pretending to adjust her glove. For as long as she had known him, Shadow had refused to do more than take care of his basic needs. He said that he didn’t need luxuries or frivolities, but she also knew that he didn’t feel he deserved them. 

He was so stubborn that she’d had to resort to tricking him into taking better care of himself over the years. For every birthday and special occasion, she had given him something that he didn’t “need”. If his fur looked coarse, she would buy him lavender-scented shampoo and conditioner. If his inhibitor rings were becoming dull, she would buy him gold polish. If his uniform jacket started to show signs of wear, she would give him a new jacket – one that didn’t have the GUN logo printed on an accompanying armband. 

It had taken so long, but Shadow was finally beginning to act like he deserved to be treated better, and this apartment was proof. It had been partly due to GUN’s incompetence and overreach that he had taken a step back from the organisation in the first place. If he didn’t believe that he deserved to be treated well, then why would anyone else? And not only had he found a place for himself, but he had also made it his own.

‘… Are you satisfied now?’ Shadow asked.

Rouge knew that he was talking about his explanation for why he hadn’t invited her over yet, but her voice was choked when she replied. ‘Yes.’ She rubbed her eyes and forced a smile, blinking rapidly. ‘I’m really happy.’

Shadow seemed slightly bewildered. ‘If you say so.’

Rouge cleared her throat and coughed, crossing her fingers that her voice would stay steady. ‘I thought you didn’t invite me over because you were afraid that I  would make fun of your vinyl collection or something.’

‘I didn’t think you … would.’ Shadow looked slightly alarmed. ‘Would you?’

Rouge burst out laughing and said, ‘Of course not. I know you’re sensitive.’ Shadow narrowed his eyes at her, but she ignored his ill temper, saying, ‘I thought that you might think that I thought … that you might think that I would …’ Rouge stopped. Then she buried her face in her hands. ‘Damn it. We sound like a pair of nervous high schoolers.’

Shadow raised an eyebrow. ‘I’m not the one tripping over myself.’ The wind picked up, ruffling her fur and cooling her embarrassment. He shifted his weight, crossing one leg over the other as he leaned against the sliding door. ‘You weren’t entirely wrong. I did wonder if you might make fun of me.’

‘I wouldn’t.’

‘You would,’ Shadow said with a chuckle. ‘I’ve been fumbling my way through this whole process, and –’

‘I really wouldn’t,’ Rouge insisted. She pressed her fingertips together, and her voice dwindled as she spoke. ‘I know I tease you often, but I also know that this must be important to you. That’s why I didn’t let myself into your apartment. I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.’

‘… Thank you.’ Shadow stepped away from the door, as though he had been guarding it and only just relinquished his post. Now that the sun was no longer pouring over him, she could see him clearly.

He was wearing a suit jacket that she had given him, and it fit him like a glove.  She’d worried that he wouldn’t eat properly after he moved out, but it seemed like she needn’t have worried. He had always been lean, but now she could no longer see his hipbones. His black fur shone with a glossy lustre, and his eyes were clear. His inhibitor rings glimmered. Jewelled crimson cufflinks – yet another gift – sparkled on his sleeves. His wrist and ankle guards had been cleaned and repaired. The fur below his collarbone had been brushed, and it was even whiter than his leather gloves. He looked a little tired, but his gaze was warm.

Shadow gave her an awkward smile and ran his hands over his quills, smoothing them back. ‘Is something wrong?’

Rouge shook her head tightly. Then she sank onto the metal chair behind her and picked up the folded newspaper, holding it in front of her face. Her shoulders trembled. She wasn’t wearing waterproof makeup. She had to get it together –

Shadow sat on the edge of the chair and placed a hand on the newspaper, lowering it. His crimson eyes appeared above the pages. He looked worried. ‘Rouge?’

An unruly sob escaped her lips, and she covered her mouth with one hand. ‘D-Do you have any idea how badly I wanted to see you take better care of yourself? I spoiled you rotten in the hopes that you might learn how to be kinder to yourself, but I didn’t know if anything I did would ever make a difference… ‘ She squeezed her eyes shut, hiccuping as she tried not to melt into a puddle of mascara and tears.

Shadow froze, and he looked like he was being held at gunpoint. Then he placed a hand on her back, bringing her head forward to rest on his shoulder. When he spoke, his voice was gruff. ‘I never really understood why you always insisted on going so far out of your way for me.’ He rubbed her back in a halting, circular motion, as though he had sprained his wrist. ‘I assumed that you got a kick out of dressing me up like a paper doll.’

‘You’re so stupid,’ Rouge muttered, and she cupped his face in her hands. His skin had a soft glow to it, as though the light within him was still flickering even though he had waded through oceans of blood. ‘And you’re so beautiful. It’s not fair.’

Rouge squeezed her eyes shut. A moment later, Shadow gently rested his forehead against hers. ‘You should be proud of your handiwork.’

‘What are you talking about?’ Rouge sniffed and said, ‘This is all you. I haven’t forced you to keep looking after yourself since you moved out. I didn’t help you renovate your apartment. This is all your doing.’

Shadow’s eyes widened. Then he squeezed her shoulder. ‘You were the one who taught me how to be kinder to myself.’ He lowered his eyes, and she couldn’t tell whether he was overwhelmed by emotion or attempting to gather his thoughts. ‘And your stubborn persistence… The way you kept loving me and caring for me … It made me realise that I deserved to be treated better.’

Rouge’s eyes watered, and her self-control collapsed. She buried her face in the soft white fur of his chest and sobbed, crumpling the newspaper in her hands. ‘I-I thought you might hate me for forcing you to look after yourself, b-but I thought it would be worth it –’

‘I don’t hate you.’ Shadow put his arms around her, hugging her so deeply that she could feel her ribcage compressing. It was moments like this that reminded her just how much strength his body concealed. He was capable of untold destruction and carnage, but he was also capable of tenderness and kindness. ‘I could never hate you. I only hated myself.’

Rouge bit her lip and held her breath, trying to stop the tears from flowing. ‘D-Damn it. My make-up must be ruined.’

Shadow winced. ‘It’s just a little smudged.’

‘I can’t go out like this.’ Rouge’s wings drooped. ‘You were the one who was bothered by the fact that you brought up your past without meaning to. I’m the one who’s gone and derailed everything.’ She tossed the newspaper aside, balling her fists in her lap.

‘… You’re allowed to be upset.’

It was so strange to hear those words coming out of Shadow’s mouth. Normally, she was the one saying something similar to him. She forced a smile. ‘But I don’t want to be upset.’

‘Why?’ Shadow asked cautiously.

‘… I hate being a mess. Besides, I didn’t do my fur and makeup and buy a new outfit just for all that effort to go to waste.’ 

Shadow hesitated. Then he took one of her hands in his. ‘… Caring for people is often messy. You should know, after everything you’ve done for my sake.’ He removed one of his gloves and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. ‘Thank you for caring this much. It … means a lot to me.’

Rouge stiffened. He was being so sweet, but if he kept talking, then she was going to burst into tears again. ‘Shut up. Or I’m going to start crying like a sprinkler and smear mascara all over that fluffy white chest of yours.’

Shadow reddened and drew his jacket together, fastening one of the buttons … not that it did him any good. ‘Hmph.’ He got to his feet and placed one hand on his hip. ‘Well?’

Rouge’s smile faded, and she resisted the urge to rub her eyes with her gloved fingers. ‘I’m going to need a few minutes before I’m ready to go anywhere. And it might be longer than a few minutes. I’ll probably need to go back to Club Rouge –’

The click of the sliding door opening interrupted her, and Shadow tipped his head toward the apartment’s interior. ‘You can come in and clean yourself up.’ He picked up his abandoned coffee mug and slipped inside without waiting for her.

Speechless, Rouge got to her feet and followed him through the door. It felt like she was breaking and entering. She padded past the coffee table and tossed her purse onto it, taking care not to trip on any stray cushions or trailing blankets. Shadow was standing in the kitchen with his back to her, washing out the mug in the sink. He pointed over his shoulder without looking up. ‘Bathroom’s through there.’ 

She headed through the indicated doorway with a sigh and found herself in his bedroom. Her gaze lingered on the double bed. The crimson duvet looked softer than a cloud, and it was a world away from the old military cot he had used to sleep on. There was a pile of books on the bedside table. She resisted the urge to read the titles on the spines, darting into the bathroom instead. 

A packet of makeup wipes sat on the counter, and she stared at it for far longer than she should have.

‘Shadow?’

‘What?’

‘… Did you stop time to buy these from the store?’

‘What store?’ Shadow asked, and he sounded exasperated. ‘I got them out of the cupboard.’

Her eyes widened, and she wrenched the cupboard door open. Several more packets of makeup wipes and an assortment of makeup products. An extra toothbrush sat in the glass on the counter.

In a daze, she opened the packet on the counter and began to carefully clean up the blurred edges of her eyeliner. Her mind was racing. Had he bought these things for her? Did this mean that he had already been planning to invite her into his home at some point? But why had he gone so far out of his way for her? Was he planning to ask her to stay the night one day? 

Her gaze landed on the reflection of the double bed behind her. Her cheeks and ears turned pink.

An unrelated thought occurred to her, and she stared at her reflection in bewilderment. If he had stopped time to put the things she needed out on the counter, then he would have had more than enough time to put away anything that he didn’t want her to see. But from what she could tell by looking at the living room, he didn’t seem to have changed anything. For all his reservations about letting her into his home, he still trusted her enough to let her come inside at a moment’s notice.

An orange bottle of anti-anxiety medication sat on the counter, and she picked it up, reading the label. The dosage was four times higher than that of an average person. She set the bottle down and took out a concealer stick from the cupboard. An assortment of pill bottles filled the shelves below, and she could feel a lump in her throat. She had lost count of how many times she had begged him to see a psychologist or psychiatrist.

She finished touching up her makeup and left the bathroom, padding back to the living area. Shadow was still standing at the kitchen sink, and he seemed to be lost in thought. An impulse overcame her, and she rushed over, hugging him from behind. She squeezed until she forced a startled gasp out of him, and he dropped the mug he had been washing into the sink.

‘… Don’t do that.’

‘Couldn’t you hear me walking over?’

‘Yes, but I’m not used to having other people here.’

She rested her head on his shoulder, taking care not to get makeup on his jacket. Her hands splayed across his stomach. She could feel the rise and fall of his breath, as well as the echo of his pulse. The only thing she couldn’t feel was his navel. It was supposed to be a hallmark of creatures who had been born, but he had been artificially created.

As though he was reading her mind, his shoulders slumped a little. She wished that she could take him through to his bedroom and kiss every part of him that he was insecure about, but she knew he wouldn’t let her. She didn’t know if he ever would. She had to settle for pressing her hands against his stomach, hoping that he could feel her warmth through the palms of her hands.

Shadow’s muscles tensed. He cleared his throat. ‘Are you done?’

His voice sounded strange, and it piqued her curiosity. ‘Why do you ask?’

’… Whatever it is you’re doing, it tickles.’ Before Rouge could respond, he stiffened and said. ‘No.’

’No?’

‘No,’ Shadow growled.

She let him go and walked back into his field of view, raising her hands as though showing that she was unarmed. ‘Relax, tough guy.’

Shadow pressed his lips together. Normally, he would blow up or snap at her if she kept pushing him like this. But he simply sighed and crossed his arms. Maybe it was ‘birthday girl’ privileges, or maybe it was something else. Now that they weren’t in the blinding sunlight, she realised that he didn’t merely look tired. He looked exhausted. 

‘Are you okay?’

Shadow shook his hands dry and pulled on his gloves. ‘Yes. Why?’

‘I saw the medication that you left out on the bathroom counter. I know it can make you tired at high doses, and …’

‘Oh.’ Shadow blinked several times, seemingly trying to gather his wits. ‘The side effects don’t affect me as much as they do normal people.’

‘How many are you on?’

‘Milligrams?’

‘Medications.’

‘… A few.’ He cleared his throat. ‘GUN isn’t thrilled about it, to say the least.’

‘I’m sorry? Do they want their bioweapons to be unstable?’

He rolled his eyes, glancing at the wall of the living room. She knew that he was looking in the general direction of GUN’s headquarters. ‘The medications reduce my reaction speed.’

‘By what? Nanoseconds?’

‘More or less.’

‘… You can stop time, for heaven’s sake.’

That got a chuckle out of him, but he still looked pensive. ‘It’s not like they can stop me from taking them. But they said that they might have to limit the amount and type of missions I can undertake.’

‘Ugh,’ Rouge said in disgust. ‘If only you knew a hacker who has access to all of their systems and data …’

‘They were bluffing.’ Shadow shook his head, saying, ‘They were more than willing to deploy me when I had completely unmanaged PTSD. If anything, this should improve my overall combat effectiveness, not decrease it.’ He grimaced and shook his hands dry, pulling his gloves back on. ‘If we have to talk, let’s talk about something else.’

‘I just wanted to make sure you’re all right. You look exhausted.’

Shadow opened his mouth, then seemingly bit his tongue, walking past her into the lounge room. ‘You’re not going to let this go, are you?’ He picked up a teal-coloured gift bag and held it out to her. ‘Here.’

‘Is this my birthday present?’ She didn’t know what the gift had to do with her concern for him, but she grinned at him and accepted it. ‘Aren’t you sweet? I can’t wait to see what you got me.’

Shadow didn’t respond. He just watched her as she lifted out a large, flat jewellery case. 

‘Well, well.’ She grasped the satin tab and opened the lid, saying, ‘This is a surprise. You’ve never bought me jewellery before …’

She fell silent, staring at the contents of the case.

An intricate statement necklace lay in the centre, framed by a hololith bracelet and a chandelier earring on each side. The jewels looked green at first glance, but when the light hit them, they glittered like sea foam. The gold settings glimmered.

‘Where did you buy these?’ Rouge asked in a strangled voice. She knew Central City’s jewellery stores like the back of her hand, and she knew that these weren’t currently being sold by any store. If they were, then she would have smashed through the corresponding storefront and stolen them in a heartbeat. 

‘I didn’t.’ Shadow flexed his hand, and his gaze was fixed on the jewels. ‘Those crystals are made out of crystallised Chaos Energy.’

‘W-What are you saying? Did you smash up a Chaos Drive with a hammer or something?’

‘I’m sure GUN would have been thrilled about that. No, I didn’t.’ Shadow rubbed his jaw with one hand, and he looked embarrassed. ‘I crystallised the energy myself.’

It finally clicked, and she nearly dropped the jewellery case. The crystals used in Chaos Drives were made of condensed, solidified Chaos energy. If he had used his powers to make all of these crystals, she couldn’t begin to imagine how much energy he had expended in the process. 

‘Is this why you were still asleep when I called you? Why didn’t you just use your powers to give yourself more time to work on it?’

‘I was already using all of my energy to make the crystals. And it took me a long time to come up with the idea, so I was racing the clock.’ 

Rouge stared at the jewels, and her stunned expression was reflected a thousand times over, across every single facet. She didn’t even know what to say.

Shadow glanced through the door of what looked like a personal study. There was a yellow Chaos Emerald on the desk, acting as a paperweight. ‘I thought about making you something using the fake Chaos Emerald that I found on the Ark,’ he said. ‘But I know you hate fake jewels, so I decided against it.’ His ears twitched, flattening slightly. He was always so sure of himself. It was rare to see him look this hesitant. ‘I wondered if these would be all right. They were made artificially, after all, and –’

‘Lab-grown diamonds are still real diamonds, you idiot.’ Rouge blinked rapidly. ‘I don’t care whether something is natural or artificial. I only care whether it’s real.’

He didn’t respond right away. Then he nodded toward the box. ‘Do you want me to help you put them on?’

‘Mm-hm.’

She set the case down on the coffee table and picked up the bracelets, slipping them onto her wrists while he draped the necklace around her neck. His thumbs brushed the nape of her neck, and she could feel his breath on her fur.

‘You shouldn’t have pushed yourself so hard,’ she murmured, taking the backings off the earrings. ‘I would have been happy with the bracelets.’

‘I only had to push myself because it took me so long to come up with the idea.’ She heard a faint metal clicking as he wrestled with the clasp, and she fastened the earrings to her ears. ‘I also had to test everything to make sure it would be safe for you to wear.’

‘Darling, I was either going to die at 12 or live ’til I’m 93. A necklace isn’t going to kill me, you know.’  

‘Don’t be so blasé,’ Shadow said, giving her a warning tap on the shoulder. The clasp snapped shut, and he turned her to face him. He took the necklace in his gloved fingers, and his knuckles grazed her chest. ‘The crystals are encased in the same glass that the Chaos Drives use. And the gold settings are made using the same technology as my inhibitor rings. They should be safe, but …’

‘Sometimes beautiful things can be dangerous. That’s what makes them beautiful.’ Unable to restrain herself any longer, she threw her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder. ‘I think this is the best gift anyone’s ever given me. Thank you.’

Shadow’s hands hovered in the air, then they came to rest on her shoulders. He gave them a gentle squeeze. ‘You’re welcome.’ 

It was rare that he hugged her tightly. Despite everything they had been through together, he still seemed to harbour fears about accidentally hurting her. She wished that he could see himself the way she saw him. His hands were capable of causing so much damage, but they could also create wonderful things. 

Rouge reluctantly let him go and stepped back, picking up her clutch purse with a grimace. ‘Ugh, now I feel bad. My gift is going to look terrible by comparison.’

Shadow frowned. ’Your gift?’ 

Rouge pulled out a small gift-wrapped box and held it out to him. ‘Happy birthday, sweetheart.’

In reality, she didn’t know when Shadow’s real birthday was. He didn’t even have a birthday, really. The few records that had survived the Ark raid were heavily redacted, and she had never been able to find out what exact date he had been ‘created’ on. When he had to fill out paperwork for GUN, he always put down the date that she had freed him from stasis, along with the approximate year of his creation. He said he didn’t need to celebrate his birthday, but she never listened to him. She would always pick a random day to celebrate the occasion, and if she was feeling generous, sometimes he would have several birthdays a year.

Shadow stared at the box, and she raised an eyebrow. ‘Sometime today, sweetheart.’

‘But it’s your birthday. Why do you want to celebrate my birthday today, of all days?’

Rouge shrugged elegantly. ‘I thought it would be fun.’ She grinned and said, ‘Imagine if our birthdays were actually on the same day, though.’

Shadow froze. Then he exhaled and slowly took the box out of her hands.

‘Shadow?’ Rouge’s eyes widened. ‘Are you serious?’

He began to pick the tape off the wrapping paper, and his eyes flickered. ‘You’ll have to forgive me. I just … I always had very few things to call my own. This place was one of the first things that I could actually call mine.’ He glanced around the apartment, and he seemed uncertain. ‘Even my heart and soul aren’t truly my own. So when you started picking random days to celebrate my “birthday” instead … I just didn’t say anything.’

Rouge clasped her hands behind her back, and the bracelets clinked together. Sea foam glittered at the edges of her eyes, as though she were standing on the ocean shore. ‘Do you want to keep doing that? Or we could celebrate my birthday on a different day every now and then  –’

‘No,’ Shadow said abruptly. ‘My birthday isn’t even a real birthday. You don’t need to go that far for my sake.’

‘But I’m … glad that you were created. I’m glad that you’re alive. You deserve the world, not just your own day to celebrate.’

‘I don’t want the world,’ Shadow said quietly. ‘This is more than enough.’ He gave her a soft smile and said, ‘I suppose that I don’t mind sharing … as long as it’s with you.’ Rouge could feel her face beginning to burn. As though he’d suddenly remembered the gift in his hands, he removed the wrapping paper from the box. ‘… What is this?’

‘It’s cologne.’

‘But I don’t wear cologne.’

‘You would if you had one that smelled like coffee and lavender.’

Shadow sighed and opened the box, taking the bottle out. After staring at the atomiser as though it would bite him, he spritzed it on his fur.

‘Well?’

‘… It’s not unpleasant.’

‘You love it, don’t you?’’

‘Enough of that,’ Shadow grumbled. But his eyes softened, and he gave her a reluctant smile. ‘Thank you.’ He placed the bottle on the counter and asked, ‘So? What do you want to do?’

‘What about you? It’s your birthday too now, remember?’

‘I don’t care. Let’s just do whatever you had planned for us … As long as it’s not a big ordeal.’ He turned his head away, raising his arm to hide a yawn, and his fangs glinted. 

She could feel the weight of the necklace on her chest, the bracelets on her wrists and the earrings on her ears. She might wish that he would let her into his life without caveats, but she couldn’t deny that his gifts had been a labour of love, in the truest sense. ‘I said that I didn’t need the whole day to myself, remember? Why don’t you get some sleep before we head out?’ 

‘That’s not necessary. I’m already beginning to recover.’ Shadow grimaced and said, ’Besides, some fresh air will probably help.’

‘Well, in that case …’ Rouge grabbed his hand, coaxing him through the sliding door. Once he had locked it behind him, she leaned over the railing. The wind blew through their fur. ‘You said you wanted some fresh air, right?’

‘Yes, but –’

She grabbed him by his jacket collar and pushed him over the railing, before vaulting after him and catching him in her arms. 

‘Rouge!’ Shadow snapped, and the wind tore at their ears as they free-fell through the air. ‘What the hell is wrong with you?’

She merely laughed and tightened her grip as they skimmed over the rooftops below. There was an airport nearby, and the jet sounds were a distant roar behind them. ‘Are you awake yet?’

His eyes widened. Then he gave her a weary smile, placing one arm around her shoulders. ‘… Yes. I’m awake.’ The smell of exhaust fumes mingled with the scents of aromatic coffee and sweet lavender. The sun shone on her necklace, and the reflected light illuminated the warmth in his eyes. ‘I’m awake …and it’s all thanks to you.’

The End