a hedgehogs unlikely crush

ch 37

As the night continued, Shadow wasn't done impressing Perci—or pissing Sonic off. With a wave of his hand, the waiter brought over an expensive-looking dessert, an elaborate confection of chocolate and gold flakes, placed gently in front of Perci. Her eyes widened in awe at the sight, a giggle escaping her lips.

"Oh, Shadow, this looks amazing!" she exclaimed, her face lighting up with joy.

Shadow smiled, clearly pleased with himself, leaning back in his chair. "Only the best for you, butterfly," he said smoothly, watching Perci blush as she dug into the dessert.

Meanwhile, Sonic's face twisted with frustration. He couldn't stand it anymore—this whole night was turning into a nightmare for him. Shadow was doing everything perfectly, and it grated on Sonic's last nerve.

"Showing off again, huh, Shadow?" Sonic muttered under his breath, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Shadow didn't even flinch, his gaze steady on Sonic. "It's not showing off when it's genuine, Sonic. Something you'd know nothing about."

Sonic bristled, fists clenching under the table. He was about to retort when Shadow reached into his jacket and pulled out a bouquet of red roses, handing them to Perci with a charming smile.

"These match your beauty perfectly," Shadow said, his voice dripping with affection as Perci's eyes shimmered, clearly moved.

That was it. Sonic couldn't hold it back anymore. He slammed his hands on the table, standing up so fast his chair nearly tipped over. "Oh, fuck off, Shadow! Stop spoiling her like she's some kind of prize you're trying to win!"

The words hung in the air, sharp and cutting. Perci froze, her eyes widening in shock as the harshness of Sonic's words hit her. Tears began to well up in her eyes, her lower lip trembling. "S-Sonic... why can't he make me happy?" she asked, her voice soft but filled with hurt. "He's not doing anything wrong... why do you have to be like this?"

Sonic's face dropped when he saw the tears in her eyes, realizing too late that he'd gone too far. But before he could say anything, a wave of fury washed over Shadow's face. His eyes darkened, fists tightening as his temper flared. The air around him seemed to grow heavier as his anger seethed beneath the surface.

Amy, who had been watching the whole thing unfold, finally lost her patience. "Sonic, enough! This jealousy has got to stop. You're acting like a damn child!" she scolded, her voice firm and cutting.

Sonic opened his mouth to argue, but Amy held up a hand. "No. You've embarrassed yourself enough tonight."

Meanwhile, Shadow stood up, his gaze fixed solely on Perci. He bent down and gently scooped her up into his arms, cradling her close to his chest. She buried her face in his shoulder, still sniffling quietly, as Shadow turned toward the door without another word.

But the message was clear—he didn't need to argue with Sonic anymore. He was done proving himself to anyone but Perci. His actions spoke louder than any words could.

Shadow walked out of the restaurant dramatically, carrying Perci in his arms, leaving a stunned silence in his wake. The doors swung shut behind them, the tension still thick in the air.

Sonic sat back down, feeling like the weight of his actions had finally hit him. His stomach churned with guilt, but he was too stubborn to admit he had messed up, even as Amy shot him a glare. Tails sat quietly, not wanting to get involved, while Knuckles just stared, still clueless as ever.

Outside, the cool night air hit Shadow's face, but all he cared about was the girl in his arms. He gently set Perci down once they were away from the restaurant, brushing a stray tear from her cheek.

"Don't listen to Sonic," Shadow said softly, his voice losing its usual edge when he spoke to her. "He's an idiot. All I care about is making you happy."

Perci sniffled, her eyes shining as she looked up at him. "I know... I'm just tired of him always getting in the way."

Shadow wrapped his arms around her tightly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "He won't anymore. I'll make sure of it."

Perci smiled, leaning into him. "I love you, Shady."

"And I love you, butterfly," Shadow replied, pulling her closer. And with that, they walked off into the night, leaving Sonic and his jealousy behind.