Rouge and the Rogue (Knuxouge)

Girl Talk

"Well, here it is, Princess. Real sorry it's cramped, but that awful head of guard won't suspect you'd be in here," Manic told her.

"What about my luggage?" She asked.

"We'll get it secretly somehow. We got it."

"About the bodyguard thing, I already have somebody that might work—" this didn't make Rouge happy, but Midnight was a soldier who didn't entirely trust his boss, and if she could appoint him to be her bodyguard then the Whites wouldn't be burdened by having to find one for her. Though her slight hesitation to mention her pick of bodyguard made Manic frown.

"Rouge," he intoned, still holding her hand, "couldn't I stay and protect you?"

"...What?" She was caught off guard. A blush crept into her cheeks. This seemed sudden.

"I'm actually pretty tough! Give me a chance?"

Rouge pulled away, uncomfortable. "No offense," she fake laughed to try and play this off as a joke, "but your minstrel fought better than you did."

"Ha! That's true," Manic backed off. "Then I'll go get your stuff."

"But I didn't get to tell you who the bodyguard—"

"Don't bother. I already know who you want." Manic left, closing the door behind him. Rouge stood baffled for a second, then crumpled onto the floor, astonished. What just happened? Duke White was into her or something, how embarrassing. For him, that is.

Sonia walked in, startling Rouge out of her position and back into standing.

"I brought you a better dress, dollface," Sonia said, holding a blue nightgown in her arms. "I'll need to borrow the one you're wearing!"

"Why?"

"I'm going to disguise myself as you to get your luggage out of your room. If you have any white makeup powder, that would help a lot too." Sonia smiled mischievously and set the gown on the bed.

"Alright, I'll change then." Sonia backed out of the room to let her do so. Rouge emptied her pockets before taking off the pink dress and throwing on the new blue one. She did have some makeup powders and a compact mirror in there, but she had also been carrying the dagger. She wondered whether it was wiser to keep the dagger with herself, or to lend it to Sonia. Never mind, now that she was dressed, she could ask Sonia directly.

"Here's the makeup. By the way, will you be needing this dagger?" Rouge asked after opening the door and handing the hot pink hedgehog her powders. Sonia considered the dagger for a moment.

"Nah, I'll get a sword instead. This is my own house, I know where all the weapons are." Sonia smiled at her. Somehow, Sonia made Rouge feel foolish. She was so dependable and had great style. She wanted to be like her. It left a burning sensation in her chest, for no other discernible reason. Sonia turned to walk away, but paused. She looked back at Rouge.

"Say, Princess," she said, "Do you want to talk about love for a bit? Living with just my brother, I haven't had a good girl talk in a while."

Rouge couldn't say no to Sonia, so they both stepped back into Rouge's makeshift room.

"Mind if I change while we talk?" Sonia asked.

"Not really, I won't look," replied Rouge. She turned away from Sonia and stared at the wall. "So what did you want to say to me?"

"General girl stuff. Like, do you have a crush on anybody?" This situation was unbelievably awkward for Rouge. She could hear Sonia's clothes rustling behind her. The way she could talk to her so casually made her feel even sillier for being nervous earlier.