Stolen Hearts (Shadow x Reader)

Chapter 16

Key:
(Y/n): Your Name
(N/n): Nickname
(A/t): Animal Types
(E/a/t): Enemy Animal Type
(S/n): Sister Name
(F/n): Friend Name

     For the next few weeks, Shadow watched (y/n) closely. He had noticed things nobody else did about (y/n) before, but now that he paid closer attention, he saw a lot more. He saw her slight hints of annoyance, fear, sadness, and sometimes amusement.

     He knew she knew about his observation of her. She hadn't said anything but he saw the annoyance in her body language when she had noticed Shadow paying close attention to her. She also seemed to try and harden her emotions even more than before to hide them. But no matter how hard she tried, Shadow could always see through, and (y/n) knew that.

     "Hey! Angry-eyes! (N/n)'s talking to ya!" Flame cut into his thoughts, snapping his fingers in Shadow's face. Shadow growled and waved him off.

     (Y/n) moved a seat closer to Shadow. "Now that you're out of your head, you have to start asking Gunner questions instead of just sitting there and pretending to listen." (Y/n)'s voice was serious with a hint of amusement.

     "What questions am I supposed to ask him? He never stops talking." Shadow grumbled, leaning his elbows on the bar.

     "It's called starting the conversation genius. Though, I'm not sure you listeners are prone to starting the conversation." Flame snarled sarcastically.

     "In other words," (y/n) growled warningly, "talk before he can talk, make him answer question after question. So there's no chance for him to start rambling on about bullshit."

     "What am I supposed to ask him? 'Are you attacking mobians —specifically (a/t)s— then blaming it on G.U.N?' I might as well tell him we're supposed to be tracking him." Shadow snarled.

     "I hate to admit it, but he's right. Gunner isn't that smart, but he's smart enough to recognize suspicious questions." Flame added.

     "Maybe this isn't the best idea," (y/n) began slightly hesitant. "What if we get him blackout drunk? If we get him to a state where he can't see the difference between suspicious and normal-"

     "He'll answer all your questions with no hesitation." Shadow finished for her. "It could work. But we don't know how he'll be blackout drunk."

     "He gets real chatty." Flame told them, "Couple weeks before you two started coming here, he drank a lot. I mean a lot. Timmia asked him how his week was and he told her what he did in detail. Everyone who heard it is still pretty traumatized."

     "What about violence? Does he get any worse than how he usually is?" (Y/n) asked.

     "Nah, practically becomes a teddy bear." Another of (y/n)'s cousins —Akela— said as he walked by.

     "Akela! Stay here for a minute, Arlene's screaming at me from across the bar." Flame said, grabbing Akela's arm and dragging him back. "I'll be back. Maybe."

     "Bit rude don't you think? He could've asked." Akela grumbled jokingly.

     "Well it sounds like you know a bit about Gunner. That could keep us occupied." (Y/n) suggested in a teasing tone, one of the only clear signs of amusement from her.

     "Alright, Gunner hates Diva, Serenade, Cosmia, Rotor, and Ash." Akela counted on his fingers, "He's practically in love with my parents, Dunbar, and Senile. Everyone else he barely knows exists. On the days you two aren't here, he talks mad shit about you (n/n). About how you're trying too hard to look like Senile and you're practically a cardboard cutout of him."

     (Y/n) frowned. "Has he ever considered that we're related?" She grumbled, leaning her arms on the bar.

     Akela chuckled. "Like Flame said, he isn't that smart."

     "We better head back." (Y/n) said, stretching her arms above her head.

     "Oh? Is Gunner not coming back?" Shadow asked, confused as to why they were going back so soon.

     "Yes. While you were zoning out he said 'he's gotta head back a bit early tonight, eventful day tomorrow.' Then he got out of his chair and left." (Y/n) explained.

     "Oh, I guess we're leaving then," Shadow stated. He stood up from his chair with (y/n) close behind.

     "(Y/n)!" A familiar yet unfamiliar voice called out before Shadow and (y/n) could leave Dunbar.
Shadow and (y/n) turned around to see two leopards, one was dark greyish-blue and the other was light greyish-blue.

     (Y/n) turned to Shadow briefly. "Wait for me outside, or don't your choice." She then began walking towards the two leopards.

     Shadow rolled his eyes and continued out the door, but he waited by his motorcycle for (y/n) to return.

(Y/n)

     (Y/n) stopped in front of the leopards. "What is it you wanna interrogate me about?"

     "Ain't you presumptuous," the dark greyish-blue leopard —Bulp— began, "we just wanted to know what happened with that (e/a/t) and (s/n)."

     "The (e/a/t) is (e/n), and it was a simple fight that she won. The (s/n) thing still needs to be resolved." (Y/n) explained. "Any questions?"

     "What happened with the fight between you and your sister? What you said sounded pretty nasty." The light greyish-blue leopard —Pulp— asked curiously.

     "What I said?" (Y/n) questioned, confused, "I guess I did say some pretty vile things to (s/n), but she said a lot worse than what I said."

     "Really? She said it was only you hurling insults." Pulp said, her eyes narrowing.

     "Well, you know what think? I think that (s/n) isn't a very loyal part of this family. I mean she don't work here, and she lied to us about the fight she had with (n/n)." Bulp growled.

     "As much as she isn't the best (a/t) in the world, she's still my sister and your cousin, we've got to respect that." (Y/n) told the twins.

     "Yeah, sure, sure, whatever you say (n/n)." Bulp said, "But don't blame me when she stabs ya in the back."

     "I can handle back-stabbing," (y/n) replied sharply. "I've dealt with the fair share of backstabbers."

     "Doesn't sound pleasant," Pulp commented. "We'll leave you to go home. Shadow seemed pretty eager to leave."

     (Y/n) nodded at the two of them. "I'll see you next week." (Y/n) walked away and out the door to see Shadow leaning against his motorcycle.

     "I thought you'd leave." (Y/n) stated, trying to sound as emotionless as possible.

     "No, I think we need to talk." Shadow said, "You try so hard not to show your feelings, why?"

     "Would you accept 'none of your business' as an answer?" (Y/n) asked with a hint of sarcasm. "Didn't think so. What about you? You do the same thing I do."

     "Sometimes, but you do it constantly," Shadow replied, at first not realizing (y/n) had turned the conversation on him. "Dammit. Well, you do a constant deadpan. I can tell you have a reason, but from what I can tell, nobody knows it."

     "Like I said two weeks ago, ask (f/n). He knows the basics of it." (Y/n) told him, letting a bit of anger slip into her voice.

     "If I'm going to find out why you act the way you do, I'll find out from you," Shadow stated, narrowing his eyes.

     "Well then I guess you might never know." (Y/n) snarled, she turned away from him and got onto her motorcycle, then drove off, not looking back to see if Shadow was following.

Word Count: 1245