Sunlight was peeking through the slim lines between the blinds when I awoke the next morning. I didn't remember falling asleep, but the sight of Shadow dozing in the chair across from my bed didn't surprise me as much as I thought it would. I took a moment to stretch, to asses my sore limbs, before sitting up and yawning. I truly was exhausted to my core, but I was also terrified to think about how Starry was going to react to me not showing up. Silently, I stood to tiptoe over to the bathroom to change and sneak out. Unfortunately, Shadow had very good hearing and picked up on the movement. Red eyes opened and stared at me for a second.
"If you're thinking about sneaking out to practice, you can sit your tail back down right now."
Dammit. Was I really that predictable?
"Shadow, I can't just...not show up. He'll kill me! And I've been yelled at enough this week that I really don't want any more of it," my hair was an absolute mess and running my hand through it did nothing to help.
"Like I said, he can take it up with me if he has a problem. Now lay back down," he stood, crossing the distance between us very quickly. Gently, he placed his hands on my shoulders and pushed me into a seated position on the bed. I let out an exasperated and grumpy sigh, which he ignored.
"What do you want for breakfast? I'll order something to be brought up," he seated himself on the bed beside me, strangely comfortable so close to where I was. This shocked me for a moment, but I managed to reply.
"Uh, it doesn't matter. Anything, really?"
He stared at me, silently demanding I just pick something. I blinked nervously under his gaze.
"Um...maybe some cereal..?" I mumbled, looking away. He simply nodded and moved towards the phone, calling down to the kitchen and ordering a few things. While he was distracted, I slid back under the covers, leaning against the headboard.
"So, tell me something. Why do you continue to work with Starry when all he seems to do is bully you?" Shadow returned to his chair, arms crossing as he leaned back. I was taken aback by that question, especially coming from him.
"W-what? What do you mean?"
"Well, for one, you shouldn't be afraid of your trainer. Two, why would you continue to work with someone who doesn't respect you?" Shadow stared steadily at me and I withered under his gaze.
"Starry isn't just any trainer...Starry was my father's best friend," I paused, unsure if I wanted to divulge my past to Shadow. "When my father died, I guess he made Starry promise to take care of me. He's harsh and strict, but I know he cares about me."
Shadow's gaze softened. "I had no idea. I'm glad he's here to take care of you," he paused, almost hesitating. "You need someone to take good care of you."
I blinked in confusion. What was that supposed to mean?
I didn't get a chance to ask, as the food chose that moment to arrive. Shadow busied himself getting things together, pulling a table over towards my bed and setting things up. He had ordered a lot more than cereal, opting instead for turkey bacon, pancakes and coffee.
"You need more than just cereal if you want to get better," he shot me a look when I noticed the food. I remained silent, not wishing to argue with him.
After finishing eating, I laid back down, feeling sleepy from a full meal. Shadow remained in his chair, reading a book. The last thing I saw before I fell asleep was his little smile as he read something on the page. It was a comforting sight.
