Sleepover

A/N: Something sweet. Shadow and Cream friendship fluff once again folks! Man I love this duo, how sweetness overtakes the darkness turning it into a weakness lol.

She calls it a sleepover, he calls it "spending the night"...

Shadow kept his eyes open as he stared up at the ceiling of his bedroom. It was a hot one tonight, a boiling high eighties to low nineties. If it weren't for the A/C he installed himself in his bedrooms he'd been roasted. He thought about the young rabbit asleep in his spare bedroom and felt the need to check up on her. It was just going on one in the morning, but he hoped she wasn't too hot.

He pads his way out his bedroom and door the hall to her bedroom and creaks open the door wide enough to eye her through the crack. She was asleep soundly and quietly. This made the elder hedgehog smirk in acknowledgment of her rest and then eyes the A/C in her room.

He'd figured he turn it on for her given it was hot. G.U.N. paid for all his bills given his retirement so he was free to run up all his appliances if he wished. He quietly walks into the room, turns on the air, and watches her to see if he woke her. Cream stirred in her sleep very slightly but remained asleep. Shadow smirks again before walking out the room, closing the door gently behind him.

He returned to his bedroom and closes the door, yawning as he crawled back into bed. The room was cool now thanks to the blasting A/C he turned on before leaving the room to check on Cream. He resumed staring up at the ceiling until he fell asleep in his bed on his back until dawn. When he woke up, it was 6:35 AM, and he had a hard time opening his eyes. He wiped the sleep from his eyes before stretching while lying down. The A/C had turned off to rest itself sometime in the morning before he woke up.

The cool air surrounding the room certainly was gonna wake him up fully scratches under his chin, grunting afterwards when he was done. He gets up to drink some of his water in a thermos he used to keep his water ice cold knowing how water gets warm overnight. He drinks it and enjoys the refreshing taste.

"Ah, still good." Shadow grunted. He lays back down on his back and listens to his A/C as it loudly generates the blasting cold air onto his fur, blowing the tops of his quills.

Usually he'd find trouble falling back asleep after waking up early, but he tried and did this time. Soft snores escaped his muzzle as he went back to sleep.

—

Few hours passed and it was around 8:40 when Cream woke up. She rubbed at her eyes sleepily until she noticed the A/C in her room was on and she grew curious.

'I don't remember turning that on last night. Maybe Mr. Shadow did instead?' The young rabbit said in thought. She climbs out the bed and heads across the dark hallway to the bathroom before quietly making her way to Shadow's room.

She knocks quietly, turning the silver knob to only be greeted by freezing cold air and Shadow's low snores. There he was sleeping on his back with his mouth slightly agape. The rabbit could see his fangs partially as he snores.

Cream giggled quietly at this. Mr. Shadow sleeping peacefully in a sweat-soaked white tank top and gray boxers. She figured she'd best leave him alone and went into the living room to watch some early morning television until the elder hedgehog woke up.

—

Few hours passed, and Cream smiled as Shadow came into the living room scratching under his muzzle with sleep in his eyes.

"Good morning Mr. Shadow." Cream says sweetly as the hedgehog yawned loudly.

"Good morning Cream." Shadow answers her through his yawn. The younger rabbit giggles at this this as he makes his way to sit next to her on the couch.

Shadow sighs, slouching and leaning back into the soft cushions of the couch. Cream smiles at the elder hedgehog slouching next to her, watching as he scratches under his muzzle and wipes at his eyes tiredly.

"What's on this morning?" Shadow says through a yawn exposing his canines.

"Just the news Mr. Shadow." Cream answers him sweetly.

"Sonic's not on there is he?" Shadow asked.

"Not yet." Cream says.

The two watch television together silently, Cream snuggled into Shadow's side at some point and he affectionally wraps his arm around her protectively. The young rabbit enjoys the affection the otherwise gloomy hedgehog wouldn't dare show to everyone else.

He smirks smugly as he continues watching the news with the rabbit until hours later when he fixed them some breakfast. He fixes them some eggs, bacon and toast—a simple breakfast as he calls it and they eat together at the table as they talked.

Shadow allows Cream to talk about whatever she wanted as they ate. She rambles about the Chao garden and the upcoming festival for them in the next few months. Shadow already foresaw the young rabbit asking for him to come with her when that time came. He inwardly chuckles at the thought.

"...I'm sure it'll be fun dearheart." Shadow says before drinking some juice.

Cream drinks some juice herself before continuing to talk.

"Mr. Shadow, can I ask you something?" Cream asks sweetly. Shadow looks at her with an eyebrow raised.

"What is it dearheart?" Shadow says.

"Why are the humans watching you?" Cream's question takes him by surprise. He takes a moment to process what the rabbit said before answering.

"Miss Rouge is helping me deal with them dearheart," Shadow begins. "I'm not sure what they want from me but it'll be over soon I hope. It's too complicated to explain." Shadow admits and growls slightly at the thought of the new director who's the reason behind his retirement and all the security that follows him everywhere.

Rouge was the only one who he could trust to help him get them off his tail and let him live his life in peace. He's done nothing but good for this world and didn't deserve such treatment. Cream's face softens at what Shadow said. She felt bad for the elder hedgehog. She gives him a smile, something he didn't return but he did so inwardly.

They went back to the living room to continue watching TV until it was noon, where Shadow and Cream walked to the park so the young rabbit cod play on the playground. Shadow sat on a nearby park bench watching the rabbit as she hobbled over the stairs and slid down the slides. He 'humphed' as he folds his arms, closing his eyes for a moment.

He thinks of what the young rabbit asked him earlier and it bothers him somewhat. Surely she didn't mean to ask such a question but still...somethings are best unasked.

"Mr. Shadow!" Cream's cheery voice catches his attention.

"Hrn?" The elder h looks at her as she waved at him.

"Watch me!" Cream cheers as she slides down a slide on her belly, giggling as she lands in the sand.

"Don't hurt yourself." Shadow warns. Cream gets up and dusts herself off.

"I won't!"

"Humph." Shadow grunts as he resumes folding his arms. He didn't want to be responsible if Cream got hurt. Knowing Vanilla, she'd be overly protective and concerned for whatever scrape or cut her daughter recives when she's not around. Shadow's ears perk up at the sound of birds chirping and he looks up at the nest in the tree.

The bird was free to fly, much like a certain blue idiot he knew. Thinking of Sonic made Shadow scowl with hatred. He hates thinking of Sonic whenever something reminds him of the younger hedgehog. Sonic's cocky grin, annoying giggle an the color cobalt just triggers him.

"Mr. Shadow are you ok?" Cream asks the old hedgehog from the small bridge on the playground. He snaps out of his aggressive thoughts and looks at Cream calmly.

"Yes dearheart I'm fine. I was just thinking about something." Shadow says 'something' like it was a bad taste in his mouth. Cream didn't seem too sure but smiles nonetheless and continues to play on the playground all by herself as Shadow watched her.

—

When it got later in the day, the two returned to Shadows' residence and watched TV together again. Shadow ordered a pizza for them and they ate it as they watched the cooking channel. Shadow had almost forgotten that the rabbit would be staying at his place until Monday, so he made dinner to last them until tomorrow.

They ate the food with trays in the couch so they could watch TV together. A reality TV show featuring a woman in her 30s that Amy also watched was what they saw. Cream told Shadow about her and how funny she was. He found the woman inspiring for others like her and silently wished her the best at what she did.

"She's so inspiring, isn't she Mr. Shadow?" Cream asked the elder hedgehog as she smiled up at him. He glances at her briefly, 'humphing'.

"She's special like everyone else dearheart." Shadow wasn't really paying attention at this point due to the boredom he was starting to have. He tiredly places his cheek against his knuckles and grunts.

Cream smiles, knowing to leave the old hedgehog be at this point.

—

Fast forwarding to Monday, Shadow held the young rabbit's hand in his as they made their way up the porch stairs with her luggage and backpack in tow. Vanilla opened the door, hugged her daughter and thanked Shadow for watching over her over the weekend.

"It's always a pleasure watching over Cream. You've raised a sweetheart Miss Vanilla." Shadow smiles slightly, a tired look in his expression as he does so. Vanilla smiles at him warmly as she always did. She was such a sweet woman herself—something everyone admired about the two rabbits that they had in common.

"Oh Shadow, you're such a dear. Have a safe trip back home now." Vanilla said as Shadow made his way to his Suburban, waving by to the two rabbits until he left. He already knew that Cream would want to spend another weekend with him soon...

A/N: Well, it's been a while since I've posted something. I've been busy with life like everyone else in this world lol. I've finished this last night and posted it this morning. It may be a while until another Shadow and Cream friendship fic but until next time, enjoy this.