Shadow always had everything under control. Ever since he discovered his past, he decided to always have control in every aspect of his life.

That was until Amy Rose appeared.

He disliked her and a lot. Her happy go lucky attitude, her idealistic ideologies, and the way she always saw something good in everyone. Even in him.

Shadow hated that. He didn't need anyone to tell him he was good but unconsciously he found himself waiting for her approval.

He hated that everything in his life was going the way he wanted ... but her.

"Hey Shads, I am leaving already."

Rouge walked down the stairs, looking more sexy than usual. She was wearing a short black skirt that showed her toned legs and a matching tank top that accentuated her flat stomach. Rouge was about to tease the guy for staring but the thought went away the moment his eyes diverted back to the TV.

Of course, he already had a pink hedgehog on his mind just like she had a red echidna on hers.

But that didn't mean she couldn't tease him in other ways.

"You will have the place for yourself. Omega is getting reparations at G.U.N. I won't be coming back home so feel free to bring someone to ... spend the night with."

"Didn't you say that you were leaving already?" Shadow said sarcastically, his eyes still glued to the TV.

"You know, if you were nicer maybe you could have gotten yourself a Valentine."

Shadow turned his head around as he looked up and down at Rouge; it was judging look that could make anyone feel less. "So I can make myself look like a clown? No, thank you."

Rouge wasn't affected much by this. She was used to Shadow's horrible personality and attitude, but that still doesn't mean she wasn't going to fight back.

"Well, maybe you should start looking for a costume and makeup..." Rouge walked towards the door, ready to leave. "Because as far as I know, Amy has a thing for clowns." 

SLAM!

Goddamit, Rouge. Shadow wished for her to get married to the red one already so she can leave the shared apartment.

Shadow thought he was good at hiding how much he hates the pink one but it seemed Rouge caught into that.

But once again, he would make it pretty obvious sometimes.

.

"Shadow stop pulling my hair!"

"Shadow stop eating my food!"

"Shadow give me back my pen!"

"Shadow stop with the pranks!

Shadow! Shadow! Shadow!

.

"Come on Shadow, give me my notebook back!" Amy jumped constantly as she tried to grasp her favorite black notebook. Shadow was holding with his right hand, he was enjoying too much watching Amy trying to get it.

"I don't think so, this is my favorite new notebook."

Amy stopped jumping and she looked directly at Shadow's eyes. "Do you like my notebook?"

It caught Shadow off guard, and seeing that he wasn't responding, Amy added;

"Alright then, you can keep it."

.

That memory always hit him back at random moments, and he was embarrassed to admit that he still had that black notebook. It was brand new and nothing was written on it, which made Shadow wonder why Amy always held it as if her life depended on it.

But that was some time ago already and the display of hate Shadow showed her had caught Rouge's attention.

"You are like a little kid who doesn't know how to tell his crush he likes her so he bullies her instead to get her attention."

Or so he remembers Rouge saying when she confronted him about the issue.

How stupid of her, to think that the Ultimate Life Form could ever have such feelings for a plain hedgehog.

Shadow switched the channels of his TV and as he expected, every single one of the commercials had to do with Valentine's Day. Couples walking hand by hand, kissing, hugging, Shadow didn't want anything but to this day to be over.

His mind went back to the pink one as he saw a commercial of a shy girl confessing to her crush.

Would Amy do something like this for Sonic? Not like it matter, Sonic wouldn't look at her twice.

Shadow focused his attention once again to the commercial. After a lot of failed attempts of confessing, the shy girl was successful at her task and her crush accepted her.

If Amy tried confessing today, would Sonic change his mind?

Something light up the moment Shadow thought about it. Yes, he would tease Amy whenever he had the chance. However, Amy's reaction to his teasings is completely different from when Sonic teases her.

He had seen it before. Her distracted eyes looking from side to side; how she played with her hands, the light red tint in her cheeks.

No matter how much Shadow tried, he couldn't get her to be like that with him.

Another thing he couldn't control.

How he hated that; how much he hates Amy Rose.

But another thought crossed his mind. If he shows Amy how much he hates her; would she accept that? Would her reaction be the same as when she is with Sonic?

Shadow shook his head; no, there was no way he was going to.

He changed TV channels again and again. Valentine's Day plastered all over the commercials and shows.

Shadow sighed in defeat.

"Well, I was planning on giving back that notebook anyways."

.

  It has been two hours already and Shadow was trying to give Amy her notebook back. He couldn't just give it like that, that would be too rude. So he passed by the store to get a small bag. He picked up a red one with white polka dots on it. He put it back immediately, it was just a notebook. So, maybe a simple carton bag is fine? No that's too simple. A white bag? No that's lame.

And that's how Shadow spend two hours trying to pick the perfect bag.

He took the red bag with white polka dots at the end. It reminded him of Amy in a sense, that should be good.

However, all confidence went away when he saw her leave her apartment building. He immediately took the notebook out of the bag and threw the bag away.

He was starting to panic, maybe today wasn't the best day to give it back, she looked like in a rush.

Wait not, fuck that. It wasn't when she wanted, it was when he wanted.

Shadow saw Amy walking towards him and he immediately began to walk away, slowly, very casual. Good thing that he was wearing all black clothes so he could blend in perfectly with the night.

"Hey, Shadow!"

Fuck. How did she find out it was me?

Shadow stopped midtrack as he heard her voice. Forgetting the fact that he was wearing his G.U.N jacket and that his name was written on the back with bold white letters.

He pretended not to hear her and kept walking.

"Is that my old notebook you are holding?"

FUCK ... AGAIN.

Shadow was holding the black notebook behind his back, yes it was stupid of him. This pink girl always made him do stupid things and that's why he hates her.

He turned around to face her, knowing that it would be impossible to escape now.

Damn. How much he hates her.

She was wearing a long red coat that reached to her knees. A white turtle neck blouse with a pink and purple striped skirt that was above her knees. Black thighs covered her legs and small black heels accentuated her legs. She was holding a small red bag to complete her outfit.

Shadow hates how Amu=y wasn't even wearing anything provocative but he was still having unwanted feelings about the way she presented herself.

That was one part of him. One of desire.

His other part focused on her face, she was wearing light makeup but he could still see the under circles in her eyes. The small breakouts in her skin, the way her eyes glowed like the pole light next to them. Her messy hair was tied into a ponytail but her bags moved softly with the air.

This part of him told him that he must care for the pink one, he doesn't know why ... and he hates it.

But the third and last part of him was the worst.

"I can't believe you still have it, were you planning on giving it back?" Amy smiled and Shadow grew angrier by the second.

The worst part was her personality ... and he hates how much control that part of her had over him.

"Yes, it was taking too much space in my room. So instead of throwing it away, I decided to give it back."

"How considerate of you, but I can't accept it."

This is what he gets for being nice. He made a mental note to never do this again in his life.

"Fine," Shadow added, "I'll just throw this in the fucking trash-"

"No, please don't."

Amy touched Shadow's hand and he immediately flinched, pulling his hand away. Amy saw his reaction and she spoke immediately.

"I mean, today is Valentine's and well, usually is the girl who gives a gift or chocolate to the guy." Amy felt her cheeks feel hot as she looked in her bag. She took out a small elongated pink box with a ribbon attached to it. " I have this for you ... and this won't work unless you have the notebook. So please accept my gift and if you don't want it then wait until White Day to give it back."

.

Fuck Amy Rose and this power she had over him. If it was anyone else, he would have laughed it off and deny the gift but when it was her ...

Well, let's just say that Shadow had never run so fast to his apartment to open his gift.

He sat down on the couch again and with a 'pop' he opened his gift.

It was a plastic pen.

Shadow took it in his hand, he was perplexed that Amy had given him such a cheap item in a very elegant box. He analyzed the pen, up and down. It was pink and small and on the side, it had a small button. He pressed it and a purple light came out of the top.

Shadow perfectly knew that this was. It was an invisible ink pen with UV light.

Was Amy out of her mind? Why in the world would she-

"I have this for you ... and this won't work unless you have the notebook."

Shadow connected the dots, he was fast to get the black notebook. He flipped through the pages, all of them blank.

He went back to the first page and he grabbed the pen. He pointed the end of the pen towards the paper and pressed the button. The purple light came out of the pen, revealing letters on what used to be blank pages.

And Shadow began to read.

.

Dear diary #1:

I am happy today because I got this notebook at the store. It came with an invisible ink pen with UV light so no one can read you. Only me!"

.

Dear diary #2:

I tried confessing to Sonic and he rejected me .. again. It's ok tho, I'll keep trying until he loves me!"

.

Dear diary #3:

I hate Shadow! He is so mean to me! I don't understand why I always try to be nice to him. I hope he stops teasing me so much.

.

Dear diary #4:

Rouge told me that Shadow might like me. That's so gross! I don't believe it, just the idea makes me want to throw up. I can only love Sonic anyways.

.

Dear diary #5:

It was a strange day today. During the meeting, I commented that I would love to have a crepe with whip cream. A few hours later, I went to the Resistance's kitchen and I found Shadow secretly baking something. I left him alone and went back to my room. A few hours later someone knocked on my door and when I went to open it, I found an overcooked crepe with too much whip cream outside my room.

Was it ... Shadow?

.

Dear diary #6:

Today, I found Shadow beating up some guys in the city. It wouldn't be a weird sight if it wasn't because those were the exact guys who told me bad stuff at the Resistance a few days ago.

Dear diary #7:

It was my birthday today and I received a beautiful arrangement of flowers. I thought Shadow was smart. The flowers had a tag in which it had the name of a flower shop. I went there and they told me that a black with red stripes hedgehog was the one who sent the flowers.

Does that mean that Shadow ... likes me?

.

Dear diary #8:

Shadow says he hates me but he looks at me all the time during the meetings. He looks angry whenever I am talking to other male agents. He looks hurt whenever I am with Sonic.

I think ... I think Shadow really likes me.

.

Dear diary #9:

The more I pay attention to Shadow, the more I find myself intrigued. In battle, he is brave. Although he doesn't show it, he is kind and cares for all agents at the Resistance. He might act cold, but he actually has a really soft personality.

Now, I find myself looking at him the most and our eyes meet more often.

.

Dear diary #10:

I don't even think Shadow is aware that he likes me. I honestly don't want to be the one breaking it to him. He enjoys teasing me and the attention I give him. And if teasing me makes Shadow happy, then I am happy too. I'll keep up the act just to see Shadow happy.

He makes me happy ... because ... because I really like him.

I like Shadow.

.

He closed the notebook and put the pen on top of it as he placed it next to him on the couch. An overwhelming amount of feelings overtook him. Shadow knew that Amy wasn't one to lie, especially when it came to a personal diary like this. He tried to think again, but whenever he thought he had come up with a result, he denied it. He was confused and angry but he also had some content in his heart.

He hates how he can't understand his feelings.

He hates how he is incapable of understanding his feelings.

And he hates how Amy Rose is the only one to blame.

And even so, he couldn't bring himself to hate her completely. She was there in his best and his worst moments. In his moments of intimacy, in his moments of rage and his moments of confusion. She was there.

And although he hates her, Shadow had to admit that he loved the way he didn't feel lonely when he was with her.

Shadow was unsure about his feelings but he was confident about one thing ...

He needed to give Amy a present for White Day.

.

.

.

.

.

.

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A/N: Happy Belated Valentine's Day! Something short and no related to my other stories, but I hope you enjoy it! The idea came when I used to live in Japan and I had to give tomo-choco to my friends and for White Day, I received gifts or chocolate back lol. Also, I may have another chapter of 'Stages' done by today, so keep looking forward to that, I see you again soon!