"Whole milk or skim?"

"I like my coffee black."

She glanced up at him, blue eyes searching. "Of course you do," she said after some thought. "Sugar?"

"Please," he said, thumbing for his wallet in his pocket. "Two spoonfuls. No more, no less."

"And what happens should I put more or less in?" a mischievous smile played upon her lips. She leaned forward on the counter, eyes brimming with mirth. Her petite hand was placed upon her cocked hip.

"You don't want to find out," he deadpanned, placing a few dollar bills on the counter space between them.

"Okay, Mr. Serious," she said with a mock salute. "Though I have to say, I am rather curious now."

"Don't," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "It is far too early, and I am in no mood for conversation with the barista."

"Well, aren't you just charming," she said, dropping a few coins of change in his outstretched fingers. "Here's your change, sir. Your large black coffee with two spoonsful of sugar will be ready shortly."

He spilled his change into wallet, stuffing it back into his pocket. Gazing around the shop, he spotted a table near a window. Perfect. He ambled over, slipping into the seat facing the door. He fiddled with the hem of his gloves, eyes wandering around the shop, observing each individual person. Laughing. Smiling. Talking. Not a care in the world. He snorted, the shop across the street capturing his attention.

Robotnik's Roses. A flower shop.

At least, that was the name of it last year. The sign was long gone, a new one in its place. It was pink and in red, loopy writing read "Amy's Roses". A sigh escaped his lips as he rolled his eyes. How original.

If he looked hard enough, he could still see her petite form through the window, blue eyes swimming in joy. He closed his eyes, her face still smiling behind his eyelids. Guilt pounded through his veins, strong and hard, synching with his erratic heartbeat. When he opened his eyes, he was met with a familiar blue. Blinking, he realized it was just the barista with his coffee.

"About damn time," he grumbled, mood soured with disillusionment. Why did she have to have blue eyes?

The chipmunk's smile vanished immediately. Her nose pinched. "Well if you haven't noticed, this is our busiest time of the day. To think I was even kind enough to bring you your coffee." She slammed it down on the table. Part of the steaming liquid jumped out of the small opening at the top. The drops stained the table black.

He squinted at the cup. "Mr. Serious," he read the neat, cursive writing. "You can't be serious."

"You never gave me your name," she said, "so I improvised. It seemed to fit. Though now I'm thinking Prince Charming would have been better." Sarcasm dripped through her tone. Her lips curled in a smirk.

"Funny," he glanced at her name tag with boredom, "Sally."

Sally straightened her blue vest before extending a hand. "That's right. My name is Sally. And you are?"

He stared at her hand before taking his coffee in his. "Trying to enjoy my beverage before it gets cold."

She bristled, eyes steely as ice. "Alright. Mr. Serious it is then. Enjoy your black coffee with your black heart." She stalked back toward the counter, head held high.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Shadow."

Sally stopped, fingers touching the edge of the counter. A soft smile graced her lips as she nodded slightly. Ducking her head, she resumed her post to cheerfully greet new customers in the bleary morning hours.

Shadow resumed his post of gazing out the window at the flower shop, sipping on his coffee.

"Too sweet," he remarked with a sigh. "They're always too sweet…."

Shadow frequented the coffee shop every morning. Each time, he ordered the same thing. Tall black coffee with two spoonfuls of sugar. Most mornings, Sally was the one to take his order. He learned that she worked mornings Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. She worked afternoons Tuesday and Thursday. This was to accommodate her class schedule at the college nearby.

"Guess what I am going for," Sally said, eyes brimming full with confidence. "If you guess correctly, I'll let you have your coffee for free."

"To get an education," he deadpanned. "That's what you are going for."

She covered her mouth as she laughed. He watched the way her eyes crinkled as the sound tickled his warmed ears. Her chest rose and fell in shudders. A snort erupted from her nose. Her cheeks immediately pinked, eyes wide with embarrassment as she realized what sound just left her mouth.

Shadow felt the hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "Cute. Very lady-like."

"Shut up," she said with a large smile. "You called me cute."

"Obviously sarcasm, princess."

Immediately, her demeanor changed. Shoulders stiffened, eyes wide and teeming with caution and trepidation. "Don't call me that."

"You call me Mr. Serious still."

"That's different," Sally said with a wave of her hand. "Anyway, you didn't guess. I have a line forming. Hurry up."

The ebony hedgehog shrugged indifferently, feeling the gaze of customers on the back of his head. "Business."

"Wrong," she said in a sing-song voice. Gloater.

"What is it then?" He pulled out his wallet and handed her the exact change for the drink.

"Creative writing."

"Oh?" He raised his eyebrow in question.

"Specifically, poetry. Never would have guessed that, huh?"

He thought for a moment. "No."

"Good."

Shadow turned away, strolling over to his normal seat. She thought it was a good thing that he never would have guessed correctly. He suspected that it wasn't so she would have to pay for the coffee. He snuck a glance at her. She was tucking a stray piece of auburn hair behind her ear, smiling at the next customer in line. The flower shop caught his attention again. He wondered if Maria ever read poetry. He wondered what kind of poetry Sally liked. Then he wondered why he even cared.

"You're in my spot."

Each day, Shadow sat at the same table. The seat facing the door, near the window. It was a small table for two. He could easily scout to see who was entering the coffee shop. He could watch both pedestrians on the street and customers in the shop. He could watch the flower shop from afar, and Sally taking orders or cleaning the counterspace. He could even read the book that he had recently purchased at the bookstore down the street.

He couldn't do any of those things, though, because a pink hedgehog had her cheek in the palm of her hand, staring wistfully out the window. Her legs were crossed underneath the table. She had a small cup in front of her along with a pastry.

In other words, she was not moving. And that was his spot, dammit.

Lazily, she glanced up at him as if he were an afterthought. She blinked once, her head tilted to the side, green eyes wide in thought. She let out a hum, her bottom lip jutting out as she did so.

"I'm sorry," she said in an overly sweet voice, "I didn't see your name on it."

"Tch. I sit here every day."

"And I'm supposed to know that how….?"

"Everyone knows this is my spot."

"Everyone?" She smiled a smile that grated his nerves. "Guess I didn't get the memo." She peeked back out the window hastily, eyes searching the streets.

Shadow tapped his foot, arms crossed in front of his chest.

She didn't move.

He let out an aggravated noise. "Look, pinky—"

"Amy Rose."

"—What?"

"You can sit down if you want, but I am not moving from my seat."

He was taken aback. The flower shop across the street was called Amy's Roses. Was this the new owner? "Amy Rose?"

"That's what people call me." She gestured to the empty seat in front of her. "Don't worry, she added after seeing his expression, "I know this isn't a date."

"Ex…excuse me?"

"I'm not interested in you," she said. A blush crawled across her muzzle. "Though the guy I like looks a lot like you. He's a cop, you know."

A cop. Of course he was. He had an inkling on who it might be. Tch. Against better judgement, Shadow slid into the seat across from the hedgehog. He rubbed his temples with his fingers. "And why are you explaining this all to me, Ms. Rose?"

"Well," she said, her finger on her chin in thought, "you looked a little appalled and surprised by my invitation to sit down. You also looked a tad bit embarrassed, and," she lowered her voice, "I saw the way your eyes flickered toward Sally. Didn't want to worry her that I was interested, so, I wanted you to know that I liked someone else. I didn't want her or you getting the wrong impression."

He scoffed, "I don't care."

She shrugged her shoulders, gaze back to the street. "So, are you going to tell me your name?"

"Shadow."

"I've seen you before," she confessed into the empty space between them. Eyes glanced shyly at him. "I've seen you watching my shop each day."

"Well, I'm instantly regretting sitting down with you," Shadow said bluntly just as Sally walked over with his coffee. She saw him watching her flower shop. Interesting.

"Amy," Sally greeted with lips upturned. "I see you've met Mr. Serious."

Shadow scowled at Sally. "Pleasure was all mine."

"Oh, lighten up. Amy's a good friend."

"Sally, you are too kind," Amy said with a bright smile. "Sally has been so great. We have a system. She gives me coffee and I bring over flowers to decorate this shop with."

"The owner lets you just decorate the place?"

Sally tilted her head to the side. "I am the owner."

Shadow made the mistake of taking a sip at this very moment. He sputtered, covering his hand with his mouth in a feeble attempt to stop coffee from spewing across the table. Instead, it awkwardly dribbled down his chin onto the table. Both girls laughed at the sight. The male hedgehog furiously wiped his mouth with his arm, cheeks heated with embarrassment. Ears flat against his head, he snarled, "Shut up."

Sally slapped him on the back with her hand, a few remaining giggles tumbling into the open air. "Lighten up, Mr. Serious. I own it by technicality. It's my parents shop. They let me run it."

It might have been his imagination, but he could have sworn she sounded bitter about it. The smile was no longer in her eyes. Her laughter was dead. Her lips were in a flat line.

"I see," he said in what he thought was a bored tone. "If you run it, why do you work as a barista?"

"I think it's fun to meet and converse with the interesting people who walk though," she said with a twinkle in her eye as she winked at him. He averted his gaze, finding his coffee and taking a sip. "Anyway, I better get back to work. Amy? I'm sure he will be here soon."

"Thanks," Amy said with a sigh, "but I highly doubt that. He cancels every time."

"One time he won't," the chipmunk assured her with a pat on her hand. "If you need anything, let me know." Sally looked his way one last time before heading back to the counter.

A quietness fell between the two hedgehogs once Sally left. Shadow was comfortable with it. After all, this so-called Amy had ruined his plans for his afternoon by sitting in his spot.

At last, she rose from her seat with a dejected sigh, extending a hand. "Well, I better get going. My lunch break is almost over. It was nice to meet you, Shadow," she said with a warm smile. "If you ever want to come over and say hi, you're more than welcome to. You know, instead of just watching from afar."

He glanced at her hand and then up to her eyes. "The pleasure was all mine," he drawled.

Amy dropped her hand to her side and laughed. "I see why Sally talks about you so much. See you!" With a wave, she skipped off, with Shadow sitting with a dumbfounded expression on his face.

"She's in my spot again."

It was a slow that afternoon. Sally flipped through the book she was reading, lips pursed as she did so. Blue eyes met red. "She thought you looked lonely and might like some company."

"Who said I wanted her company?"

"You're annoyed."

Shadow grunted, fingers drumming along the countertop. "Way to state the obvious. I never said I wanted company."

He jumped when he felt warm hands encompassing his. "You don't have to." She had shy smile on her face. Light pink painted her cheeks.

He snapped his hand back, rubbing it, suddenly feeling warm. "What are you doing?"

She looked taken aback, eyes wide in question. "Being your friend?"

"Who said we were friends?"

"I know your coffee order by heart. You come in here every day. We talk. We are friends."

"You don't know anything about me," he insisted, "and I barely know anything about you."

"So," she said like it was the simplest thing in the world, "tell me about yourself."

"My name is Shadow. I like my coffee black with two sugars."

"And I know that already," she said with an abrupt laugh. "I'll start. I'm an only child. My parents are impossible. My favorite poet is Emily Dickinson. I switched colleges and majors. You already know I am majoring in creative writing. Not sure what I am going to do with it yet, but I'm sure it'll be an adventure. My parents don't approve, but that's why I love it. I like lattes. Specifically, vanilla lattes. You should try one, I think you would like it. You like your coffee sweet. You seem lonely, but at the same time, like you want to connect. You're always here when I am working. Do you work?" She titled her head to the side, curiosity a fire in her warm eyes.

"I'm not good at opening up," he muttered. "I've only ever opened up to one person. She died."

He felt her delicate fingers on his again, this time, in sorrow. "I'm very sorry." Her voice was quiet. Sincere.

"She used to own the flower shop," he said in a hushed voice, painfully aware of the warmth protruding from her hand to his. "The one that Amy now owns."

"The one that was robbed?" Sally asked, the gears turning in her mind. "The one….oh."

"Yeah," he said, not knowing what else to say. He added in a bitter tone, "I was the cop who was too late and couldn't save her."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Silence encompassed them like a thick blanket. Sally looked painfully uncomfortable, searching for the words to say to console him. He didn't give her the chance. He headed straight for the door, wondering why he had felt the need to share that bit of news with her, and wondering why it hurt the way she had fallen silent. He wanted to say it didn't matter. That she didn't matter.

But that would be a lie.

I know, another new story and I haven't updated any of my other ones...what can I say? This one is dedicated to my good friend Chaotic Reflections for inspiring me to write this story about this pairing. I hope I did them both justice. This was originally going to be a oneshot, but it was getting far too long so it'll most likely be a two to three chapter story. Title and story is based on the song Falling In Love (In a Coffee Shop) by Landon Pigg.

As always, feedback is welcome :) Thanks for reading!