Jayde the Hedgehog • By Your Side [3]

20: Confessions?✔️

Music: Be Somebody - Thousand Foot Krutch

21:20: cave in Monopole forest

Jayde sat just outside the cave the two had found, her body getting drenched from the rain that poured on her. She was shivering, but for some reason she didn't move. The female felt as though she deserved this. She had put the ebony hedgehog through so much, from kissing him to punching him to betraying him - them. She was ashamed to even look at him.

She didn't deserve him. She didn't deserve any of them.

Everything was a lie and she fell for it. How did she not see that coming? Jayde had worked for and against that bat before, and she still fell for his old tricks, believing that he Psychic Shield prevented illusions... how wrong she was. And now the Protector had mistakenly given Torrent the device, full of extremely powerful information and had endangered them all.

Where were the positives here?

Torrent could figure out all of their weaknesses and bring them all down. He may have been powerful enough on his own, but if he brought in the Babylons, he'd have more than a fighting chance – even if they were illusions. Under the Phantom Cube's control, it was still part of their reality; he could increase their power to the max.

Shadow looked at the shivering hedgehog and rolled his scarlet orbs, "Jayde, get in the cave. You're going to get sick." The female mumbled some incoherent words and didn't move. Rubies could see her vigorously shivering in the rain and rolled his eyes.

Jayde flinched as arms wrapped under her form and picked her up, walking back towards the fire the ebony hedgehog had made for them. Even thought she hurt him, he still looked after her. Why? Azure eyes stared at the flames in front of her as Shadow sat her down again, still shivering. He took her jacket from her before replacing it with his clean, dry one, making the female tense. The male sat a couple of feet away from her and just watched.

She had, what you would call, betrayed them and given information to the enemy. Shadow knew that she was trying to save an illusion of Tails, but he still couldn't understand why she did it alone. He stared at her, "Jayde, why did you do it?"

The grey hedgehog glanced over to him before returning her gaze to the fire, "I thought he had Tails," she chuckled, slightly grimacing at herself, "What an idiot I am."

He studied her shaking figure, "But why did you do it alone?"

His counterpart sighed, crossing her legs and playing with her fingers, "He threatened to hurt Tails. He told me that if I said anything to anyone, or brought any of you with me, Tails would..." she swallowed and looked away, "I guess it was my naivety that clouded me." Shadow didn't speak, waiting for Jayde to continue. He didn't want to force anything out of her, but without hearing the full story, he couldn't protect her from anything, Jayde spoke again, "I knew I should've never trusted him. I don't why I didn't see it coming. I can't trust anyone and no one can trust me," she laughed quietly, "I guess I'm no different to him."

Shadow was over to her in a flash, leaning over her tilting body, his speed taking her breath slightly. He gripped her arms as he knelt, ruby orbs piercing into her blue pools, "Don't ever say that. You are nothing like that bat. You only believed you were doing what was right because he used the Phantom Cube to mess with your head."

Jayde swallowed again, a slight reddening appeared around her muzzle at his closeness but it soon disappeared. She became aware of the dark bruise on his cheek she hadn't noticed before and gently placed her hand on it. Shadow winced, causing the female to quickly withdraw her hand, "I'm sorry."

"You've nothing to be sorry for."

"I do!" she snapped, suddenly standing up, "Why are you sticking up for me? We wouldn't be in this mess if it was't for me. For the love of Chaos, I shot Amy and Knuckles with a tranquilizer dart! How are they ever going to forgive me? I could've killed Sonic, I hurt you!" Jayde snarled, pacing around the cave.

Shadow stood and grabbed hold of her, stopping her movements. He pushed her muzzle up with his thumbs, "No one is mad at you, Jayde. Maybe Knuckles because he didn't take it too well you knocked him out, but I'll handle him." He mumbled, looking at her with a small smirk, "But we know that you only did it because you thought Tails was in danger – Sonic would've even taken that device if it were him." Jayde looked away, but the ebony male pushed her face up to him again, "It doesn't matter that Torrent has the device because we'll all work together to bring it back. He won't stand a chance." Jayde smiled slightly and was about to respond until Shadow spoke again, "I just have one question."

The Protector tilted her head in confusion, "What?"

Shadow swallowed thickly, suddenly feeling nervous for some reason, "Was it true about what he said – you have... feelings for me?" he asked, his voice no higher than a mumble.

Jayde's muzzle brightened, no words able to form from her mouth. She stuttered a bit, small amounts of hope disappearing from Shadow once again. Azure orbs noticed the sadness and before she could ruin anything, she leaned against him and pressed her lips into his muzzle, eyes closed. It took Shadow a second to process what was happening, but before he knew it, his arms had wrapped around her waist, lifting her off her feet. Jayde smiled slightly into the kiss, her hands going either side of his muzzle. 

The Ultimate Lifeform pulled back slightly, a small smirk on his face, "Chaos control."

They arrived back at his home, Jayde removing herself from his grasp and crossing her arms. She raised an eye rig, "You had a Chaos Emerald all this time and you didn't think to use it?"

Shadow shrugged, the smirk still on his muzzle, "I wanted some time alone with you without the chance of a disturbance." He slumped on his sofa, watching the dying flames in the fire in front. Jayde rolled her orbs before jumping over back and into the seat beside the hedgehog. The Ultimate Lifeform grinned, pulling the female onto his lap, her legs either side of him.

"Whoa, hey, you just had a kiss!" Jayde muttered, trying to pull back from his strong grip, but Shadow wasn't having any of it.

He smirked, "Who said I wanted a kiss?" he pulled the female to rest against him, wrapping his arms securely around her. He kissed her head before nipping at her ear, a small shiver jolting through the Protector. Shadow chuckled, rubbing his gloved fingers on her sensitive quills.

A small purr came from the grey hedgehog, clenching her fists slightly. No one else knew that her quills we extremely sensitive to the touch – Shadow should've felt honored. Jayde lifted up her head, meeting her lips once again with the Ultimate Lifeform's, both enjoying the new feeling that was running though them. In his mind, Shadow felt guilty. He knew that being close to Jayde could hurt her, as well as put her in more danger, but he couldn't help it. She was like magnet he couldn't repel, no matter how much he turned away.

"Well, looks like you two are getting along nicely." The two broke away in a snap, dark blushes covered their muzzle as they saw the ivory bat staring at them from the door way.

Shadow growled slightly, missing Jayde's warmth as she quickly moved from his lap, unsuccessfully falling onto the floor, "What are you doing here, Rouge?"

"Well, I was coming over to tell you Tails was back, but next time I think I'll call so I don't have to watch you two lock lips again."

"We weren't-!" but the Protector was cut off but Rouge's 'are you serious' look and she stopped. However, her orbs widened when she recalled what the female had said, "Wait, did you say Tails was back?"

Rouge nodded, and no sooner than she did, Jayde had grabbed her GUN jacket and jumped on her board, shooting off to the twin tailed inventor's workshop. Sapphire orbs looked back at Shadow who had a red tint on his muzzle and smirked, "Real smooth."

"Shut up, Rouge." Shadow muttered, grabbing his Chaos Emerald, "You didn't see anything." Rouge noticed his tone and chuckled, nodding. The Ultimate Lifeform knew that the grey female would've gone straight to Tails and probably was already there by now. He whispered his infamous words before disappearing in an instant.

Rouge crossed her arms, "Well, I guess I'm flying then!"