Grateful

Summary: Even after all these years, she was still by his side.

Authors note: To celebrate my two year anniversary on Fanfiction, I thought I would publish a one-shot about one of my favourite couples from my childhood: Sonic, Amy, this one is for you. Especially Amy, after twenty-three years of chasing after Sonic and sticking by his side, she deserves some major credit.

Because of the official Sega website stating that Sonic and Amy's ages are 15 and 12 respectively, however in reality, Sonic is going to be celebrating his 25th birthday this upcoming June, and Amy will technically be celebrating her 23rd, I'm going to explicitly avoid saying how old they are in this particular story, as apparently they don't age.

Please enjoy.

Grateful

Adj: Feeling or showing an appreciation of kindness; thankful.

"Here."

Bright jade eyes widened in shock and then narrowed slightly in suspicion, as the pigmy pink hedgehog eyed the bouquet of assorted flowers that was being presented to her.

"What's this for?" She asked, still eyeing the pretty arrangement of flowers. She locked eyes with the cobalt blue hedgehog that was standing a foot in front of her, offering the flowers to her. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"No joke." The cobalt blue male assured her, a lazy smile spreading across his tan muzzle. "Besides, April Fool's day already passed us silly."

"Then what's the occasion?" The rose coloured hedgehog asked, shuffling closer toward the colourful arrangement of flowers. "Are these even for me? You're not making a mistake?"

"I don't see anyone else around here that I can give these to." Sonic let a small chuckle escape him as he shook his quills lightly. "If you don't want them though, that's ok; I can get rid of them just as easily…"

He made a throwing motion with his arm, and was just about to hurl the bouquet into oblivion when it was suddenly snatched out of his hand at a lightning fast speed by the shorter girl.

Sonic let another chuckle escape him at the sight of the slightly frantic, dress-wearing hedgehog, now clutching the arrangement of flowers tightly in her arms.

"No, I want them!" She told him quickly, shifting the flowers in her arms so she wasn't crushing them, "But I'll ask again: What's the occasion? Why did you get these for me?"

"I'm grateful for you."

Amy's eyes widened at the response, before a confused look came across her face.

"…What?"

She asked; confused by the cryptic answer he had given her.

Sonic let out a tiny sigh. As much as he cared about the girl, he had to admit that sometimes she could be so clueless.

"I'm grateful for you." He repeated.

"Yes I got that, but why?" Amy questioned, moving forward slightly to be closer to the famous Blue Blur.

Sonic gently closed his bright emerald orbs and crossed his arms, as a small smile, almost smirk, spread along his tan muzzle.

"How many years has it been now?" he asked her, "Since you first started chasing me? Like, ten, twelve…."

"Twenty-three." Amy interjected, tapping her foot lightly.

Sonic nodded at her, opening his eyes to look at her again. "Exactly. Twenty-three years is a decent amount of time and despite that… You've always been there for me. And, I'm grateful for that."

He moved closer toward her, the smirk still in place. "Even after all this time, you're still chasing after me."

"W-well, you haven't exactly made it easy for me…" Amy muttered, dropping her jade irises to glance down at her red and white striped boots.

The taller hedgehog sighed, dropping his arms to rest at his sides. "I know. I'm sorry." He told her honestly.

"But even though it hasn't been easy for you, no matter how far I run, or what form I take, you're never far behind. You're one of the few people I can really depend on to have my back no matter what. I don't think that I've ever told you just how much I appreciate that."

He reached across and took her smaller hand in his larger, gloved one, causing the pink pigmy hedgehog to look up at him.

"So yes, I am very grateful for you." The cerulean speedster cracked a grin at her.

"I'm just sorry that I've never really told you that before now." He admitted, pulling the small female into a light hug.

Amy could barely process what was going on. First, her long-time crush gets her flowers, secondly he thanks her, and now he was giving her a hug, something that she never would have expected from him years ago without her initiating it first.

Finally she came to her senses and wrapped her own arms around him as well, returning the gesture, mindful of her flowers.

"Thanks Sonic." She mumbled into his fur.

She could feel his grin as he responded with a calm "No problem." Before pulling away and giving her one of his famous trade-mark smirks.

"But you know…" Amy trailed off, looking down at the colourful bouquet in her arms. Sonic leaned forward slightly, waiting to hear what she had to say.

"Even if you didn't tell me this, you know I'd still chase after you right?"

The statement caused Sonic to let out a loud chuckle, as he shook his head, smiling to himself. "Yeah, I know." He confirmed. "Wouldn't expect anything less from you."

Amy flashed him one of her own famous pearly white smiles. "Good, because you're my Sonic. I'd be surprised if you didn't know that by now."

"No, you've made that perfectly clear over the past two decades." Sonic assured her with a laugh, casing the two hedgehogs to smile at each other for a minute, chuckling quietly at the childish exchange, before Sonic straightened up.

"Seriously Amy, thank you." He paused. "For always having my back. Don't really know what I'd do with myself if you weren't there to keep me on my toes."

Amy just nodded, raising the arrangement of flowers up to her nose to give them a small sniff.

"I'll always be there Sonic. I promise. Just like you were for me." She assured him with a smile.

"Sweet." The cerulean speedster grinned at her, before turning around, ready to disappear in a blue flash, before he stopped and turned his head to look back at her.

"You know, my birthday is in a couple months, end of June. We should do something." He hinted to the pigmy pink hedgehog with a wink.

"Are you serious?" the rose hedgehog asked with a delighted gasp.

The cobalt blue hedgehog shrugged. "Sure, why not." He answered with a grin, winking at her again.

"Later Ames."

And with that he turned around and sped off into the distance, leaving a bright blue streak behind him.

Amy watched him until the blue streak had faded away and she couldn't see him at all. She smiled down into the bouquet, admiring the beautiful flowers the cobalt male had gotten her and thinking about that he had told her.

"I'm grateful for you."

The words echoed in her head, casing a beaming smile to spread across her cheeks. She stood standing in that same spot for a while, thinking about her exchange with Sonic, before she turned around to head back home, a smile still peasant on her cheeks.

She would always be there for the Blue Blur. She had been at his side for over two decades already, and planned to be for many more to come.

Even after all these years, she would always be at his side.