¿Him or Her? {Sonadow}

Chapter Twenty

__For two weeks Shadow and Sonic spent more time together. Shadow had actually enjoyed it. Gradually he became more aware of how Sonic felt about him, but he was still unsure about how he felt towards Sonic. He did like being with Sonic. He felt more lively around him. Shadow had planned to continue this experiment until he knew for sure.
__Shadow still hadn't touched the unlabeled file. He wasn't in any hurry to expose Nate, not while he was with Sonic. He didn't want to ruin what was going on right now.
__At the start of this whole thing Shadow was troubled. Sonic said they would start small by going on a date. Shadow knew what that was, but he didn't know how to perform one with another. Since Rouge knew all about this stuff he had decided to go to her house for advice. She didn't answer the door and it was locked so he flew up to her bedroom window on the second floor since he knew she was home. After looking into it for a while, Rouge had entered her bedroom with just a towel on and her fur was wet. He had knocked on the window to get her attention. When she looked at Shadow she had screamed and held her towel tightly. She then quickly went to open the window and glared at him.
__"What the hell are you doing here!?" She had hissed. "You're supposed to at least text me if you're coming over!" She then backed away and allowed Shadow to come in.
__"Forgive my intrusion," He said calmly. "I came for advice."
__Rouge had looked shocked as she flattened her ears. "You want advice for once?" She had asked in disbelief. Shadow nodded. Rouge then went into her closet and shut the door. "Okay, what's going on?"
__Shadow had sat on Rouge's bed as he tried to explain. "Sonic has asked me on a date. What does one do on a date?"
__Rouge had opened the closet door and stuck her head out. Her face had all kinds of emotion stuck on it. "Sonic!?"
__Shadow nodded. "Yes."
__"When did that happen!?"
__"Yesterday at the haunted mansion in the mountain range."
__Rouge had calmed down before going back in the closet. "What were you doing there?"
__"Sonic had invited me to go with him," Shadow explained. "He wanted to know if it was actually haunted."
__"I heard of that mansion. Was it actually?"
__"Yes, it was," Shadow rasped. "Sonic was really excited about it."
__"I figured." Rouge then walked out of the closet. She wore basic house clothes. "So, what happened next?"
__"After we got out of there he said he liked me the same way he used to like Sally, Fiona, and Amy. I told him I wouldn't mind finding out where this would lead."
__Something was gleaming in Rouge's eyes. She had squealed before grabbing Shadow's hands. "Holy crap! That's amazing!"
__Shadow had narrowed one eye. "Is it?"
__Rouge nodded. "You're finally moving ahead in life!"
__"What do you mean?"
__Rouge giggled. "Never mind." She let go of Shadow's hands and placed her hands on her hips. "So a date, huh? In my experience it's best to make sure the both of you are comfortable and having a good time."
__"Pretty sure I got that part down," Shadow muttered.
__"Great! Also, you want to be interactive with one another; learning or doing something together you both enjoy. You might want to give him some confidence, too."
__"How do I do that?" Shadow asked.
__"Simply compliment his appearance. It'll make him feel good about himself and feel secure."
__"Right." Shadow had tilted his head, waiting for more.
__Rouge was scratching her chin as she pondered. "Now you don't want to be confrontational when asking questions."
__"Figured as much."
__"Hm," Rouge then smirked. "At then end of your first date it's better to end with a kiss."
__Shadow straightened as he narrowed his eyes at her. "Excuse me? I don't know much but isn't that too much?"
__Rouge shook her head. "I'm not saying make out with him. Just a light peck on the cheek. Since you've known Sonic for a long time it's something you should do, but only at the end of the date when you say bye." Rouge started laughing when Shadow continued to stare. "Of course you don't have to! It's just a suggestion."
__Shadow had taken her advice to heart. Shadow and Sonic's date had took place in a fancy restaurant. Sonic had requested a private table to avoid the start of gossip. They had talked for most of the time. Shadow made sure to use every bit of Rouge's advice. He had started by saying Sonic looked well and fresh since he didn't want to come off too strong. It had earned a laugh from Sonic before he thanked him. Shadow made sure that they were both comfortable and enjoying themselves. He asked Sonic questions without prying too much and he answered his questions while sparing no detail. Shadow hadn't realized how many things they had both enjoyed until that date.
__At the end of the date they stood outside the restaurant entrance. It had been a silent night and no one had been out there with them. Sonic was saying his farewell in a nice, warm tone. Shadow had been contemplating whether or not to do Rouge's final suggesting to end the date. He had managed to bring himself to Sonic and, as lightly as he could, pecked his lips against Sonic's cheek. He felt awkward as he leaned back and saw the shock on Sonic's face. It wasn't just shock. His face had turned red as he flattened his ears. He then laughed as he lightly shoved Shadow away.
__"Come now, don't tease!" He had joked.
__That would bother Shadow on his way back to his house.
__To this day Shadow still received those nightmares every night. He still woke up with tears. Some nights he would try to stay awake, but it always ended up with him sleeping either on the couch or on the floor. Even if he found himself happy with Sonic, there was always something trying to keep him away from that, and that was Maria.