*Shadow's POV *
"Does this mean you're going to date someone else?" Noah asked me after I finished explaining to them what had happened between me and Sonic.
"What? No." I rolled my eyes.
"Dad, can I have piercings too?" Shade asked with a smile. They were taking this better than I thought.
"No." I told Shade firmly so he knew I wasn't joking. "You're not going to ask me anymore questions about me and your dad?"
"Nope." Lea answered as she then took a big bite of her burger then pointed at me with a fry. "We talked about it already. We've seen some of our friends having gone through this with their parents but it's different with us, you talked to us and explained to us what happened and you're actually talking to each other to make sure we are okay. We are okay, if you don't love each other then it's better to stay away, right guys?" She said but some of her words were slurred since she was still chewing. I saw she was still pointing at me with the fry so I leaned closer and took a bite making her frown. "My fry!" She cried making me laugh.
"Is that true?" I asked Noah and Shade and they both nodded.
"We love you and wish you two would stay together but it wouldn't be fair to you if you stayed together just because of us." Shade rested his head on me making me wrap an arm around him.
"We aren't kids." Noah added. "We get what's going on."
"You are kids. But thank you for understanding." I kissed their foreheads.
"So does this mean you don't want any updates on daddy anymore?" Lea asked and I shook my head.
"I rather not know." I answered then hissed when Noah touched the piercings.
"So they do hurt! Why did you get them?" Noah chuckled then apologized.
"Your aunt Rouge always wanted to so I let her." I answered but in reality, Rouge wanted me to try something new.
---
(After work before Sonic arrived)
"People dye their fur or cut it. Some get piercings or tattoos, some travel, you need to do something for your new phase. What do you think? I think the double helix would suit you! Maybe will even attract more people to you?" Rouge said to me.
"No, Bat. I don't need any of that." I crossed my arms and moved away from her.
"Come on, Hun. At some point you'll need to try and find someone else. You're not going to stay single for the rest of your life." She rolled her eyes.
"I can. Maybe I will." I scoffed at her.
"Get your ass over here, Shadow. Now!" She raised her voice making me tense up. I groaned then sat in front of her in front of a big mirror. "Look. Doesn't this look good?" She moved the piercings closer to my ear.
I shrugged in response, my eyes now closed. I wasn't in the mood to any of this. I just wanted to talk to Sonic and go to sleep.
"Hun..." She said making me open my eyes and look at her through the mirror. She looked sad.
"Rouge?" I asked.
"Please promise me you won't let this change your mind about opening up to others. Some day I won't be here and I'm scared you'll be all alone." My ears slightly lowered at that.
"Put them on." I said while looking away. If this was so important to her then, I guess it wouldn't hurt.
"Really?" She smiled.
"Do it now before I change my mind, Bat." I rolled my eyes.
I couldn't promise her anything but giving in to this at least gave her peace of mind.
----
"Doesn't he look good?" Rouge walked into the living room where we were at.
"He looks a bit more intimidating." Blaze walked in with some bags. "Yet, cute."
"Was that a compliment?" I raised a brow.
"I'm not sure what you heard, but it wasn't my intention to flatter." She walked to the kitchen with the bags, looking unfazed, making my ears twitch in annoyance at her response. She was annoying, not sure what Rouge saw on her.
"Oh come on. You look more approachable. You were already handsome before, plus with the kids around, others are starting to see you different. You're nicer." Rouge chuckled.
"He wasn't before?" Noah asked, I glared at Rouge.
"What? No. He was. Just a tad bit... snappy. Grumpy."
"Edgy." Blaze said from the kitchen. I swear I could feel a vein pop in my forehead.
"Why does no one tell us anything about when they were heros?" Shade pouted, I looked down at them and shook my head.
"I don't think you're ready for that."
"Yet we are ready to see you and Dad separate? To see Shade almost get taken by G.U.N.? To see you not come back?" Lea pointed out.
"I..." I couldn't come up with anything to say.
"It's best if you wait to talk to Sonic first. He's the one that retired, wasn't he? Ever since then he hasn't even talked about it. Maybe wait until he tells you." Rouge said as I made a note to kill her later.
What if Sonic told them how I used to be? Wouldn't they hate me?
"No." I said then shook my head. "Well... I guess." I gave in. I don't want to go against what Sonic wants to do with the kids so it was time for me to wait and wish that Sonic won't get the kids to hate me.
