Eternal Guardian

"You must've goofed up big time, eh?" Chimed the snarky blue hedgehog as he rubbed his nose. He found the Chaos's energy growing erratic rather concerning despite his playful (though insulting) remark.

Shadow was suddenly very aware of Sonic. He was aware of just how much he'd spoken in the past 24 hours. He was aware of just how open he'd been about things that he considered private. His face faded into angered shock as he glared at the Emerald, and he crossed his arms. Sonic didn't understand, of course. Shadow should have expected as much. Sonic had always been simple minded in the few years he'd known the blue speedster, and with him, it was always run or...run.

What Shadow was unaware of, was the threatening growl rumbling in his throat, but he probably wouldn't have stopped it even if he knew about it. He couldn't believe how stupid he'd been, to drop his guard around someone so selfish and just tell whatever came to his mind. In what way was Sonic deserving? He wasn't in the category Shadow considered "needs to know."

After all, if the Emeralds didn't work for the hedgehog, wasn't that all the better for him? It put him back in control. Yet he had just forfeit his upper hand. His eyes narrowed as his body language grew more aggressive and shut off. He didn't owe that bastard another word.

An eyebrow raised as he took in Shadow's posture and the obvious affect his witty retort had made on him. Shadow was always so quick to anger. He really needed to lighten up although he supposed he had a reason to be as worked up as he was about things. Perhaps he shouldn't have joked about it but the past couldn't be changed now.

"Oi, oi. Come on, I'm sure you can fix this...somehow. What did you do wrong anyway? You haven't really had a chance to mess up. Are you sure it was something you did?" He just became the guardian after all. And Sonic didn't even consider him witnessing the ceremony would have led to said disaster.

Shadow scowled, shrugging his shoulders as if to push Sonic off his back. He wasn't even sure if his theory was correct, but if anything else was to show, he'd been right on almost every other occasion. Especially as of late.

His brow tensed again. He really hated company, after all. Shadow was best left alone - that's how he was beginning to see it. It didn't matter. He was going to get rid of Sonic with his cold shoulder eventually. It usually worked on Rouge, anyhow.

But the hedgehog was not a bat. He may be a little more difficult to shake off as he was met with such a dry response, lacking in explanation, and not satisfying his craving curiosity.

Slowly Sonic popped into view, right in front of his face, his mere inches apart from Shadow's. How he took such a silent, big step over towards him was left in mystery. Then again he was awfully fast.

Sonic blinked comically and stared as though he expected him to talk and express more in detail. When he didn't, he asked something else. "What are you going to do?"

Shadow felt his temple pulsate and he glowered viciously at the other. He bared his teeth, in a manner suggestive of Sonic backing away very quickly. If the other was so fast, then he'd do best to catch on with that speed and he might not get hurt. As it was, he found all the right buttons to piss Shadow off. After a couple of seconds of pure raging fire directed at the other, he snapped his head off to the left and abruptly ended the eye contact, illustrating that he was, indeed not going to engage the faker in any sort of conversation.

Besides, Shadow didn't know the answer to the question.

Sonic didn't seem like he was going to heed his silent warning regardless. He just kept looking at him with that dumb, clueless look on his face, unnerved by Shadow's hostility. He was either brave or maybe he was a little stupid.

Nevertheless, him standing there seemed to predict the outcome he could have hoped for. As in, Shadow didn't murder him.

Seeing as how he wouldn't answer this question either, there was no point in prying. Shadow either didn't know or he was just being stubborn. How cute. Well, he could change the subject then if Shadow wanted to so badly.

"You don't want to talk about it, I understand." Sonic cooed in a smooth, charming voice; a hand rising for fingers to brush against Shadow's cheek, pressing for awkwardness. Squirming under the other's skin again like the childish punk he is. "Maybe it's something else bothering you? Something you need me to..." Eying his lower half suggestively, he peeked back up with a perverse grin on his face, "help you with?"

At the touch, Shadow leaned his head back awkwardly, breaking the contact. He frowned pointedly, then let Sonic's words sink in before offering a glimpse at the other. His lips parted and his eyebrows slanted somewhat; he was surprised that Sonic was even thinking about something like that.

He renewed his frustrated glare and allowed his shoulders to rise aggressively. If he even dared to try something of Shadow again, he felt he'd rip the weak little blue furball to pieces. He couldn't argue that it wasn't what he was asking for, or perhaps even deserved.

"Ah...Such a strong and silent type you are." Sonic was amused by his own actions and words. Another handsome smile.

Coolly, he slipped behind him, arms casually slipping around his waist, pulling his backside abruptly back into him as his chin rested on his shoulder. "I happen to find that very attractive." To add to the touch, he purred.

He knew he was just asking to be pummeled but once he got going he just couldn't seem to stop.

Shadow trembled with anger. His arms unfolded in a snap, and he twisted about and shoved Sonic fast. He put his arm between them as a shield to hold Sonic at bay. It wasn't that he thought just holding his arm up there in front of himself would do any good, it just felt more hostile. And hostile was exactly the message he wanted to get across. "Back off."

Sonic stared for a moment before his arms crossed over his chest. He looked mildly annoyed by Shadow's behavior; his reaction wasn't as amusing as he would have hoped for. Instead he got the same ole thing. That was only fun for so long...

"Back off? Why the sudden change of heart - 'honey'?" Not that he had been serious about it. Although it was frustrating to see Shadow hadn't changed in the slightest towards him after what they did that morning. He wasn't sure if he'd ever figure the black hedgehog out.

"I'm not here for your entertainment!" he hissed, seriously questioning the other's sanity. What was wrong with him? Did he really find pleasure in pushing Shadow so far as to want to tear him limb from limb? He started to yell more, but settled with a simple, "Hmph." Shadow's expression softened a little, as he thought Sonic seemed to be getting his point, now. He really didn't think about the other's interpretation of this, however.

He narrowed his eyes, looking less and less amused by the Grinch. Honestly, you'd think getting laid would have mellowed him out a bit, but no. He hasn't changed and he doubted he'd ever relax.

"No wonder. You'd do a shitty job of that." Quipped Sonic, feeling his fun die and his will to stay here any longer diminish. He was curious about what was going on with the Chaos Emeralds but the electricity between them wasn't going to allow him to help in any fashion. Not that Shadow seemed to know anymore than what he told him anyway.

He opened his mouth to make his own retort, but nothing came. The striped hedgehog just stood there, staring dumbly. What else could he say? He was tired of Sonic's turning everything into a game.

Without another word, he turned and sat with his back to the Emerald, cocking his head to the side annoyedly, and crossing his arms. One knee rose near his chest; the other leg was left lazily outstretched. He focused his attention elsewhere outwardly, while in his mind, he strung together long lines of complaints and insults concerning the troublesome hedgehog.

Sonic was flustered by his continued silence. He wished he knew what he was thinking. At the very least he wished Shadow would gripe or yell at him like Knuckles used to. Anything to get him to open up. But it appeared he wasn't going to do that and Sonic wasn't so sure he had the patience. Maybe he wasn't too unlike Rouge after all. It made him regret doing the unthinkable with him immensely.

Zipping to stand directly in front of him, about a foot away, Sonic stared down at Shadow, hands behind his back as he considered how to deal with the infuriating situation.

Disgruntled, he flipped him off. "Fine. Adios, Shadow." He ran towards the edge of the island, giving him a last wave of goodbye, another obnoxious smile to follow; although a bitter frown would have been a better fit. "Try not to make anymore messes, eh?"

The hand gesture was wasted on Shadow, as he neither understood it nor saw it. As Sonic turned to leave however, he shifted his gaze back to the lookalike. He felt both relief and guilt wash over him at the same time, but his face responded to neither. His neutral stare had returned, and he watched Sonic blankly, not able or desiring to respond.

Perhaps if Sonic had a little more decency and common courtesy, he'd know that Shadow simply didn't have time for meddlesome fakers getting all up in his fur. He had training to do if he was ever going to learn anything, and after all that Sonic...

He shook away the thought. He wasn't even sure what this morning meant. It seemed fresh on his mind, and still very wrong. Rouge added to his nervousness, and he still didn't understand it all. But if Sonic was going to act like that around him from now on... it would have to be addressed. The fakey affectionate manner would be more than enough to crush his ego in front of anyone. It was bad enough that he had no one to turn to for answers, but to further his embarrassment? Well... Shadow seriously thought Sonic couldn't be so cruel... It was beginning to worry him.

His eye twitched as he received no response. Sonic held his tongue from saying anything more and turned his quills to him. Luckily he wouldn't have to exert too much energy leaving Angel Island. With his blue Chaos emerald in hand, he has a quick means in escaping Shadow's company and heading back into town.

"Chaos Control!" And the blue hedgehog was gone.