“Can I…” Shadow trailed. “Can I stay here, Amy?”

Amy froze. Shadow was worried. He was sure she’d probably say no. Why had he even asked? What was wrong with him? Sure, his body was weak, but what was wrong with his mind?

“Why?” Amy questioned. “I thought you had things you needed to do.”

“I… I do.”

“Then why do you want to stay!” Amy slammed her hand down on the table in front of Shadow. “Why were you at my house last night!?”

Shadow grimaced. 

“Do you want to know the reason why?!” Shadow yelled. “It was because I knew I was going to pass out! And…”

And he knew she’d help him.

“So you just happened  to be passing by my area, realized you were getting sick with hypothermia, then decided to just plop by my house?” Amy said sarcastically. “You have a reason for being here, Shadow. Something you have to do involves me, and whatever the reason is connected to whatever you were doing that got you hypothermia.”

“Amy, it’s not what–”

“Oh, sure Shadow!” Amy continued angrily. “It doesn’t even make sense for you to have gotten hypothermia! You’ve been to space! This doesn’t make sense. Unless you’ve been out in the cold for days on end–”

Amy froze. She jerked her head down at Shadow. “Wait… you’ve been outside for days on end, haven’t you?”

Shadow didn’t respond, only staring down at the dirty dishes.

It all made sense now. Shadow’s wretched appearance, his ragged body, his mysterious hypothermia–Amy Rose knew what was happening with Shadow now.

“You’re homeless, aren’t you, Shadow?”

Shadow stiffened. Crap. She found out.

“N–No!” He aggressively pushed himself up from the table.

“Then what is it, Shadow the Hedgehog? Unless you’ve been stalking me and wish to force yourself upon me, I can’t see what other reason there would be for your terrible condition.”

“N–No!”

“Okay, so which is it then?”

Shadow sucked in a deep breath before he spoke.

“Fine.” He grumbled. His voice was a lot calmer, though. “I lost my apartment few weeks ago and ran out of money.”

“Didn’t you get a job as a barista?”

“I, uh…” He winced at the memory. “I got fired… for strangling an employee.”

“SHADOW!”

“It was an accident!”

“How do you ‘accidentally’ STRANGLE someone Shadow!?”

He crossed his arms. “It’s not important. What’s important is that I need to try to get another job somewhere, so I can eventually have my own place again.”

“And you want to crash at my place until you do?”

Shadow blushed slightly. “Y–Yes. Yes I do.”

Amy glared at the tired hedgehog standing before her. She really wanted to kick him out, although at the same time, she was a nice person. She wouldn't be living up to her moral standards if she kicked Shadow out. Besides, it would have been wrong to let him live out in the elements again; he couldn't rebuild his life without a stable place to live and food to eat.

The pink hedgehog sighed. “Fine, Shadow. You can stay. But don't think that you convinced me, because you didn't. It's my own decision.”

And she wanted him to get a job.

Before Shadow could speak, she continued, “Don't think that there isn't a time limit. You've got one month to find your own place. In the meantime, I expect you to get a new job and save up your money for when I kick you out.”

Shadow smiled sleepily. “Thank you so much, I really appreciate it.”

“You're not getting it for free, Shadow. I also expect you to do all the chores and go grocery shopping for me, as well as anything else I ask of you. Do you understand?”

“O–Of course, Rose.” Amy hadn't heard Shadow speaking so meekly in a long time.

Shadow felt a sickening burning in his chest. The Ultimate Lifeform had fallen so low, needing Any Rose to help him. His pride couldn't take the likes of Amy having power over him, although his body felt weak, so he had to submit.