The Ruby Eyes of Affection

Who are you really, Shadow?

The air was filled with the occasional yelps and growls of a particularly upset hedgehog. His eyes shut with pain and frustration as his arch enemy yanked broken glass from his arm with a pair of tweezers.

"I don't really need help faker, I could have taken care of this myself." The ebony hedgehog declared with a solid grunt.

"And risk your wounds getting infected again? No way, just because you're the ultimate life form, Shadow, doesn't mean you're impervious to bacteria". The azure hedgehog replied as he pulled out another piece of glass more aggressively than before.

"If you didn't ram me into a window, we wouldn't have this problem, Sonic." Shadow stated with another grunt and a low pitch growl as he noticed the cobalt hedgehogs increasingly irritated tone.

"And if YOU weren't so stubborn we could of gotten this done an hour ago and then you can go back to being your brooding-uninterested self. But for now you're in my house, show a little respect."

Shadow sighed with a somewhat peeved nod as he decided to give up. Fighting was just going to make this event take longer and he knew that's the last thing he needed. Silence creeped through the room like an apparition, making both the hedgehogs uncomfortable as Sonic continued to brush debris from the ebony hedgehog's torso.

Shadow's eyes fell straight to the floor as he felt the cobalt hedgehog touch his abdomen. Trying to mask the sensation he was feeling. It wasn't necessarily a good or bad sensation more like the feeling you get when you snuggle against warm blankets on a cold winter night. It felt slightly comforting. Something Shadow hated to admit. For comfort meant he felt weakness and he would never confess that to anyone. Well besides one person. His eyes dilated as he remembered his fallen friend. Her beautiful golden hair and bright blue eyes were the only comfort he had on the prison they called the ARK. His thoughts were soon interrupted by a gentle sigh.

"Whatcha thinking 'bout shads? You seem deep in thought, not that that's unusual, but I'm curious."

Shadows eyes flickered up to the sapphire hedgehog as he regained his composure.

"Why should I tell you of all people? And don't call me that." He replied with a scowl.

"Because I'm holding tweezers and I'm not afraid to use 'em." Sonic responded with a slight smile as he pinched Shadows nose gently with the object.

"Heh, are you trying to threaten me with that pitiful excuse for a weapon? You just keep getting more and more pathetic, faker". He stated with his eyes looking away from the blue hedgehogs face with a confident frown.

For almost 6 months he had been looking at sonic from the corner of his eye when they fought. His emerald eyes were filled with so many secrets, something shadow was familiar with. As he knew, eyes aren't made of just one color, they're combinations of different colors united into one central main color. What was more important, the general outcome or the little events that create the outcome? Sonic had noticed shadows cold glance to the side as he finished up removing the last of the glass.

"Hay shad, don't look so gloomy, soon we will get you back home and you can be free to do whatever you want." Sonic hoped that this slight show of affection would get the ebony hedgehog more relaxed. He didn't like it when Shadow felt uncomfortable, which of lately was getting more common every time they interacted. The charcoal hedgehog didn't reply as he grew more and more frustrated and Sonic could tell. If he didn't do something quick Shadow might chaos spear him in the face, right on the spot.

Sonic patted his shoulder comfortingly and stated with complete honesty.

"What are you hiding from? Am I really that scary?" Silence fell like a ton of bricks as Shadows voice responded quietly.

"Your eyes, they scare me." Shadow admitted, quickly realizing what he just said. How could he have lost his self-control so easily and around a stupid kid nonetheless. His face practically flushed as he tried to take back what he said.

"Um no what I meant is... well...". His voice weakened as he couldn't come up with a good excuse.

For almost a minute there was complete silence as Sonic looked deeply into his rival's eyes and finally with a concerned look asked Shadow a question he had been wanting to ask since the beginning.

"Who are you, really? Shadow the hedgehog".