A Star Reignites

Nothing And Nothing

A few days went by, and Shadow continued to keep running into Star. Whenever he did so, one of them would strike up a conversation and they would just… talk… for hours. It was actually kinda nice, to just talk. Sometimes they would walk around the park, go out to lunch or even dinner, but Shadow never thought anything about it. He continued to think that it was just two acquaintances getting to know each other, and get to know her he did.

He found out that Star was actually a lot more sophisticated than Sonic, and that they even had a few things in common.

She enjoyed reading just as much as she enjoyed singing. She spoke about how when they were kids she would crawl up on the couch, with a good book and a cup of chamomile tea and just silently read, with a fire crackling in the fireplace in front of her. She explained of how she liked to read drama over fantasy. Romance over adventure. They even had a common author that they both liked to currently read. James Patterson.

He learned that her favorite food was a healthy ceasar salad with grilled chicken mixed in with it, that she was acrophobic… and that her biggest fear was losing her baby brother.

Star had completely opened her heart to Shadow, even admitted that some of the things she told him she never told anyone else. It was weird how she felt that she could confide in him… and yet, Shadow never shared anything about himself with her.

But what was there to share? She already knew that he hated Sonic, and that he worked with Eggman on occasion. There was no way he was telling her about Maria, that was too personal… But the weird thing is that she never asked for him to share anything.

It was like… she was waiting for him to decide when the right time was to confide in her, as she does with him.

Shadow wasn’t sure if there ever was going to be a time. Star was nice and all… but he still didn’t feel anything for her. He still did nothing when Star would give him the occasional kiss here and there. If it was on the cheek, he would give her a kiss on the cheek back, just to try and feel something, but he never did. If on the rare occasion he allowed her to kiss his lips, he would kiss back, but he never closed his eyes and… there were no butterflies in his stomach like he had heard was supposed to happen.

He felt nothing for Star… and he knew he was going to have to tell her, eventually.

Star however, did not know of Shadow’s empty feelings towards her. She had the impression that they were actually getting somewhere in their relationship. She thought that they were actually dating now, and had even told Sonic when he heard the rumors spreading around about them.

Sonic had warned her to stay away. That Shadow was just going to break her heart, but she refused. She thought they had something. Someone who doesn’t love you doesn’t kiss back.

“I’m telling you Star, he’s just gonna break your heart. You should end it while you still can.”

“Sonic, that’s enough.” Star huffed at her brother for the 20th time that day. “Shadow loves me. I know he does. He talks to me. He treats me out on dates. We have things in common. And, he kisses me back. He wouldn’t kiss me if he didn’t love me.”

“He’s just using you!” Sonic growled. “Just you watch. I’m calling it now. He’s gonna lead you on. Make you think that there’s something there. And then, when you're at your most vulnerable with him, he’s gonna rip your heart out of your chest and stomp on it. Shadow is not the loving type of person.”

“And how would you know? You never even tried to get to know him! You immediately assumed he was a bad person when you caught him in Station Square with a Chaos Emerald in his hand. Yeah, he told me about your first encounter with him.”

“He wouldn’t give it up! And he was working with Eggman and framing me to be a bad guy! What else was I supposed to think?!”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe that he was brainwashed? Maybe that he was blackmailed? What person in their right mind would willingly work with Eggman?”

Sonic crossed his arms and frowned down at the floor, not saying anything as he was suddenly reminded about the recording they had seen on the ARK. The one of Dr. Gerald Robotnik explaining how he had reprogrammed Shadow’s mind to believe that his purpose was to destroy the world. At that point, he was brainwashed. But that doesn’t excuse him for his behavior now.

“You can’t say anything because you know I’m right.”

“That’s besides the point.” Sonic hissed. “I know Shadow more than you think I do, and he is not a nice guy. He still works with Eggman every now and then. That's not a guy you want to be hanging out with, let alone fall in love with. You’re so typical, falling in love with the next guy you see.”

“I told you it was just a crush when it started out. He came to me, Sonic. He asked me out. Do I know for sure that we’re gonna last? No. I don’t. But I’m not gonna hold that against him. I’m not gonna sit here and assume that he’s only out to hurt me. There’s no way that he’s that shallow. I’m done with this conversation. Amy and I agreed to have a girl’s day out with Rouge, and I’m late. I’ll see you tonight and I don’t want to hear another word about my relationship with Shadow.”

“The moment he breaks your heart, don’t say I didn’t tell you so!” Sonic shouted after her as she left through the front door. He sighed and shook his head. “But I’ll be here for you anyway the moment he does.”

…

Shadow sighed as he laid on the couch in the living room, a throw pillow covering his head. He was trying to think of the best way to break up with Star without completely crushing her soul after how much she had shared with him. He knew he had to. He didn’t want to keep leading her on and thinking that they were actually a couple and that he felt anything for her, but he was just having the hardest time trying to find the right words.

“My, my, don't you look like a wreck.”

Shadow groaned and took the pillow off his face, glaring at Rouge. “Don’t you have anything better to do than to harrass me?”

“Well, yes I do actually have plans to be somewhere.” The bat nodded as she sat on the couch beside him. “But you look like you could use some advice.”

“No, I don’t need your advice.” 

“Really? How’s your girlfriend?”

“She’s not my girlfriend.”

“Then that’s what you need advice on, hun.” Rouge frowned at him. “You have to break it off with her.”

“I know I do, but I don’t want to completely crush her either. She doesn’t deserve that. She’s too nice.”

“You don’t have to crush her. There’s no reason you two can’t still be friends.”

“Sonic.”

“Oh for once would you forget about your rival.” Rouge rolled her eyes. “Sonic doesn’t control her and he doesn’t control you. If he has a problem with you and Star then he can go suck a-”

“Whoa! Don’t need to hear that, Rouge.” Shadow quickly shot up and covered her mouth. “Damn. I didn’t think you would get so heated up about this.”

Rouge pulled his hand away from her mouth, glaring at him. “Well what you’re doing to that poor girl is going to hurt her more than breaking up with her. I told you that leading her on was shameful.”

“What about what you do to Knuckles?”

“I flirt with Knuckles. I tease him. But it’s not like we’re going on dates like you and Star. He knows that we’re not together. Star does not. She thinks she has something with you. If you feel nothing for her, after all the time you two have spent together, break it off.”

With a huff, Rouge got up from the couch, grabbed her purse, and left the house, slamming the door behind her. Shadow flinched at the sound, knowing that he had angered her. She had never been angry with him before, and that made him realize that she was being serious about this. He sighed and laid back on the couch, staring at the ceiling as he wondered what he was going to do.