-Silver and Blaze are copyrighted to Sega/Sonic Team. I do not own them or any related characters.

Cherry Blossoms

by Furrtwo

The warm, drowsy spring air wafts through the field. The sky is glowing pink as the sun sets, matching the color of the cherry blossoms on the trees. In fact, the tree we're sitting under is a cherry blossom. By we, I mean Blaze and I. I had been taking her here for the last couple of days, each time hoping I could work up the nerve to tell her what I really felt about her.

I stand up and pluck a flower from a low-hanging branch and roll it, back and forth, between my forefinger and thumb, and remember that old way kids would use to predict if someone liked them... Loves me, loves me not...

I look over to the lilac cat resting under the shady tree and gazing into the sunset, admiring its beauty. How... how should I go about telling her? Simply state my feelings, sweep her off her feet and kiss her? Or should I be more subtle? Should I even... tell her at all? For all I know she may not share the same feelings at all; in fact she probably doesn't. If I tell her my feelings and she doesn't share them, then... it might not only leave me heartbroken, it might destroy our friendship, and I don't want to risk that. But keeping these feelings bottled inside me is tearing me apart!

I know this isn't just at the crush stage anymore. I'm sure of it. All I needed to do was look at her and say it. Then why couldn't I? Why? Why couldn't it be that simple? If she felt the same, then... But if she didn't…

I absentmindedly pluck the petals off the small pink flower I hold, rhythmically thinking, Loves me, loves me not...

Suddenly I look down to the empty, petal-less flower in one hand, the final petal in the other, and the echo of my last thought ringing through my mind. Loves me...

I make up my mind. I have to tell Blaze...

I sit back down next to the cat and state her name. "Um... Blaze?"

An ear swivels towards me and gradually the rest of her head follows. "Hey, Silver," she says with a smile.

...Oh she looks so cute when she smiles! I swallow my fear, and say... nothing. Absolutely nothing! I need something to say! I feel my cheeks grow red as I look off into the sunset. "Nice isn't it?"

"Yeah," she says, gazing at it. "It's weird, but each time we come here feels like the first."

I beat myself up mentally, over and over. Stupid, stupid! You chickened out at the last second, Silver! All you needed to do was say those three words! Stupid, stupid!

I pick a cherry blossom from the tree above us psychokinetically and let it hover in front of my face. I glare at the flower like it's all its fault I'm such a coward. All of a sudden I get an idea.

Casually, I say, "Cherry blossoms spend almost all of their time hiding throughout the year. Once a year during the spring they blossom and bloom. Everyone who sees a cherry blossom tree looks at it and knows they're looking at something special. A thing of beauty."

I can feel Blaze's questioning stare burning into the side of my face as I avert my gaze from her. I can feel myself flushing as I take a deep breath and try to ignore the butterflies in my stomach. "You... you're sorta like a cherry blossom. Most of the time you're quiet, shy, and ordinary. But occasionally... you transform into something special. A-a th-thing of beauty."

She blushes as red as I probably am and starts to speak. "S-Silver-"

I take her hand and look into her golden irises. "I'm not finished yet." I move the small, pink flower I had picked from the tree through the air and let it come to rest in front of Blaze. She takes it from the air and fingers it, blushing.

"I have... something important to tell you, Blaze... I-I... I th-think... I think I love you."

Tears well in her eyes and I flinch, expecting her to hit me or dart away. But then she does something that surprises me even more.

She kisses me.

I blink in shock, trying to remember who I am and what my name is. Does… she love me too? Has she always loved me? A thousand more questions materialize in my mind, but I push them away. All I can think about is this wonderful feeling, and all I can feel is Blaze's lips against mine. No other feeling really comes close to this, being alone, all alone, with the one person you care about most, the sun setting and the scent of cherry blossoms drifting through the air.