Valentine's Fray

Title is corny! Holiday special of mine!

"I've got to stay up all night tonight, too."

"But, why, Sonic?"

The blue hedgehog inched off the cozy lawn chair and winced. It was a rather warm and beautiful day for early February, and in fact Amy's favorite holiday of all time: Valentine's Day. "Because Amy will come looking for me, and she knows all of my good hiding spots. I'll have to run all night to keep from getting caught unawares." He eyed the cold metal stethoscope passing slowly over his chest and followed the cord up to the yellow fox commanding it.

Tails frowned and sat away from him. "Your heart is throbbing terribly. It's a wonder you can keep your chest from heaving for more than a second! I've never seen you work yourself this hard, Sonic." He rested a concerned hand on his older brother's shoulder.

Sonic let forth a huge breath and let his chest match the fast pace of his heart. "Ha, it isn't my fault Eggman took advantage of our bad luck yesterday." It was true. In the spirit of Friday the Thirteenth, Eggman had thrown everything but the kitchen sink at Sonic, and the exhausted hedgehog had been forced to call for backup. Sonic had been knocked out, but he'd been nervously alert ever since he realized what day it was.

Tails shook his head, beginning to pack up his supplies. "I thought I heard a seahorse too, Sonic. Be careful, you don't run yourself to the bone." The tone was scolding, and Sonic didn't want to think about what Tails was telling him to do. He couldn't bear to sit still for another second. Not when a little pink demon was wanting him to be her Valentine.

"I…I will, Tails." Sonic gasped, standing as soon as Tails had withdrawn the stethoscope.

"Leaving already?" Tails wondered.

Sonic nodded. "It's too dangerous. She could come any second."

Ice blue eyes searched him. "Be careful, Sonic. Your body is extremely worn out. Stopping to eat something couldn't hurt."

Sonic groaned. "No, but stopping would!"

Just then, the two boys heard the high-pitched voice of doom. "Ooooh Soooooniiicc?"

The cobalt male cringed before speeding off.

To him, that voice sounded like a death sentence.

hearts,hearts,hearts

Amy panted as she collapsed under a tree. It was almost three in the afternoon and she'd checked all the usual haunts at least twice. Where was he, exactly?

Tails had claimed to not have seen him at first, but with a little "friendly persuasion" from her hammer, he'd told her that he'd been seen heading north, but he couldn't be sure where. She'd even taken the time to check the Floating Island! But, there was still no sign of him. "Sonic, where could you be?"

Little did she know how close Sonic actually was to her. He was in the tree above her head, holding his breath. Exhausted from running all over the place earlier, he'd stopped to rest. Of course now he knew why Tails had forbid him to leave the recovery bed! Eggman's machine had done more than a number on him yesterday, as its design was like that of the dreaded Metarex. But, with her below him, he couldn't relax, rest, or even breathe!

As she sighed and rolled over into the trunk, he hid his head in his arms. He was starting to get lightheaded from holding in the heaving breaths, and it didn't look like Amy was going anywhere. If he didn't take it easy, he was going to fall out of the tree! He sighed into his arms, letting his chest heave against the tree branch. He had to get out of here, and fast! But…how to go about that?

Amy looked up into the trees above. The sun shining through the branches was beautiful on this spring-like day. She just wished she could find Sonic and ask him to be her Valentine. She wanted to treat him to lunch, too. Especially after he'd been hurt badly yesterday. She felt really bad that he'd been so weak and pitiful. Nothing at all like a hero should be.

"Oh, what am I thinking?!" Amy cried, balling her hands into fists. "He'll never agree to be my Valentine! He probably hates me. Why else would he run away?"

Suddenly, a loud noise startled her. Amy dove out of the way as Sonic fell out of the tree and into the spot where she'd just been a second or so before. Despite the fact that he'd basically just fallen out of a tree, Sonic rolled over onto his back and got up, pulling leaves out of his fur. As the pink lady looked at him, she realized that he looked so thin and dark patches under his cobalt fur indicated where bruises colored his body. "Oh, Sonic," she gasped in a girly way.

His eyes sparkled in response. "I don't hate you, Ames. I just don't want you to hug me to death!" He stretched, but his perfect chest was still heaving uncontrollably.

"And, I suppose you don't want to be my Valentine either, huh?" Amy wondered bashfully.

Sonic scratched behind his ears absently. "Well…it's just that you never really think too much about what's going through my mind today. That's all."

Slowly, Amy closed the space between them. Sonic looked even more worn-out as she got closer to him, but he didn't run away. Instead, he sat at the foot of the tree, reclining in the grass below. "Well, Sonic? Do you mind telling me what's on your mind, then? If I can never guess…"

Sonic itched his nose. "Guess it wouldn't hurt." He yawned hugely, then looked to Amy softly. "Amy, you've always done the asking, and you go about it all wrong…" He sighed, blushing as he spoke. "I…If you'd done it softer, I might've said yes, but…I've always wanted to do the asking."

Amy gasped, her eyes growing wide. "Wait, you mean…!"

"Amy," Sonic smiled shyly, producing a pink rose, flawless even from his fall out of the tree, "pretty young rose. Will you be my Valentine?"

Amy's eyes filled with tears before she strangled him in a hug. "Oh Sonic! Of course I will!"

"Ah, now, see?" Sonic rasped, trying to let out his heaving breaths. "That's what I mean. Don't strangle me. Handle with care." He pushed her away from him and looked elsewhere, frowning.

Amy sighed in annoyance. "Well, I was going to treat you to lunch, but it's dinnertime now."

"I can live with that." Sonic answered brightly, turning back to face her. "There's a new restaurant hosting a candlelight dinner for couples. It's all free." He chuckled, watching her eyes widen. "Wanna come with me?"

Amy flushed as pink as her fur. "Of course!"

And for the first time, Sonic took her hand out of his own free will and the two of them walked down the street together, looking like the sweet couple they were destined to be.

Late in coming, huh? Well, I always thought May was a month for love. Haha. XD