A New Chapter will be released throughout the week, ending this Sunday the 20th. May very well be my only completed work. At least until next Shad/Amy Week coming in July. ;3 Happy reading!

Chapter One: Hug

Technically, the first time Amy Rose hugged Shadow was on Prison Island. Now, even six years later, he was shocked he ever forgot this encounter. On that Island was the first time in fifty years that anyone had touched him in such a familiar, loving way. The hug was bone crushing, soaking wet, too warm, and shivering; from fatigue or excitement, he wasn't sure which. He had been so struck by the random nature of the encounter, he'd nearly fallen from the force of the tackle. Yet, even in the split second of the moment, he knew from the beginning it was anything but an attack. He didn't fight it, even full of anger and grief as he had been, the hug had been... a welcome distraction.

But alas, that wasn't the one he counted. That hug wasn't meant for him. It had been for Sonic.

No, the real first time was when he'd run into Amy while wandering the central city gardens of Empire City one day.

He was, funnily enough, in front of the rose exhibit, staring down the oddest ombre of a particularly bright yellow to black. Shadow was staring into the black portions of the rose, trying to figure out what color it actually was (so few things in nature were just black). Just as he realized the base color was just an incredibly saturated red, his ears started twitching to the left of him. He found out all too quickly that the frantic clacking coming towards him was Amy. Her sneak attack had caught him so off guard, they were both nearly thrown into the thorny bush as

Amy clung to him mercilessly.

"Shadow! What are you doing here?" she'd squealed in delight, "It's been too long! How have you been?"

Shadow had been so caught off guard at the time that he could only answer by staring wide eyed at the pink hedgehog before him. She hadn't gotten much taller since their time alone during the Black Arms invasion. Dressed for the beautiful late spring day, she had a bright white sundress on with a lavender ribbon around her waist. She had a matching white hat with the tiniest purple zinnias tied to an ivory ribbon. The slightest scent of citrus perfume wafted up and it slowly brought him back to the present enough to say:

"I'm... well. Yourself?"

Amy's eyes glittered up at his and gave one more reassuring squeeze before letting her hands fall into his, "I'm great! I didn't think you'd be here. I was just hanging around the gardens but I was going to grab some tea in the pavilion. Wanna join me?"

Shadow, shocked into compliance, nodded and followed her lead. However, as they walked through the gardens together, Amy chattering at him as they went, he started to become suspicious. Amy had only sought him out twice in the past and both times she'd needed something from him personally. Now, after six years, she was just asking to hang out for the fun of it?

Bullshit.

They sat opposite each other. Amy ordered her cup and a platter of snacks. Shadow, in his need to have some control over the situation, ordered a glass of water, his own platter, and a small bowl of loose tea.

"No pot of water," he insisted, "I just want a small ramekin of loose tea leaves."

The waiter gave them both a deer in headlights look before nodding and walking away with their order. It was Amy's turn to eye him suspiciously before remarking, "You know it's more expensive that way. They can make you iced tea if you want it."

Shadow shook his head, "Not what it's for. You can try some when it comes by."

True to his word, when the order came and he started chewing on the loose leaves by themselves, Amy gave a curious smile and immediately reached for a pinch. Shadow watched, amazed as Amy followed his lead and chewed thoughtfully on the leaves. He couldn't help but snort as she grimaced almost immediately, but didn't spit them out. She took a quick swig of her own tea and leveled him with an accusatory glare.

"You jerk! You did that on purpose!" she squawked through a playful smile.

Shadow allowed himself an audible chuckle at her expense, "I did. I purposefully ordered them for my own enjoyment. That you provided that extra display is your own fault."

To prove his point, he reached for a new pinch to chew. He didn't go so far as to chew with his mouth open but he made quite the show of enjoying his snack otherwise. Amy stuck her tongue out at him and shoved one of the tiny cucumber sandwiches in her mouth, chewing with equal fervor, much to Shadow's amusement.

"Yeah, yeah, keep yucking it up you... you..."

Shadow waited patiently for her to come up with something clever, but when he realized that she didn't have anything, he couldn't help but snort at her, "Hmph. I think I will. How odd, though, I thought you were more clever than that."

Amy pouted, "Shut up! Just wait, I'll get you back!"

Shadow had no doubt.

Despite his misgivings, Shadow was content to continue this idle back and forth. It'd been so long since he'd had a chat with, well, anyone really. Rouge liked to tease, which was its own fun, but she was so busy with her own things and Omega was no good at it. He'd be damned if he had to stoop to such desperation as 'reaching out' to any of the other Freedom Fighters or his fellow G.U.N agents. So much of his time had been spent alone, it was nice to have someone who liked to chat about nothing.

There was such a simple peace to that. He forgot how lovely something so mundane could be.

Still, it could only last so long, and Shadow was ultimately right about Amy needing something from him.

"I'm glad I bumped into you, actually. I really need your advice."

Shadow frowned quizzically. That was a bit of a surprise, "Did you? How'd you know I was going to be at the gardens?"

Amy shook her head, "I didn't think it'd be you. I had a feeling I would find someone with good advice at the Rose Garden Exhibit in Empire City. Once I saw you, I knew you were the perfect person to help me with my problem!"

Shadow's face was stone still as he placed his cup down. The fun was over and it was back to business, "Why not your friends?"

Amy's eyes fell again, "I... I don't want it getting back to Sally how nervous I am. I don't want her to think I'm not ready for this."

"'This' being?"

Amy smiled and lifted her tea cup in a toast, "I got promoted to Captain of my own platoon of Freedom Fighters!

She pulled her hand back down and spoke into the cup quietly, "And... I don't know how to lead a team of total strangers..."

Shadow stared at her dumbfounded. His immediate response "Why me? I'm not the leader of Team Dark. I'm not the leader of anything."

"Maybe not but... people listen to you. You don't have to yell or scream or throw a tantrum at anyone to get them to listen to what you have to say. They just do it," Amy put her cup down and stared at it, an angry blush spreading across her muzzle, "So many people just look at me and see Sonic's old fangirl. I'm worried that once I meet my team I won't be able to get them to listen to me and get them all to respect me..."

Amy couldn't meet his eyes anymore. Yet, Shadow's respect for her grew immensely in that moment. He picked up a strawberry tart from his platter and eyed it thoughtfully. On the one hand, he was pretty sure he was being used. He knew the small talk was a means to an end, as nice as it had been. Why else would Amy pop up out of nowhere after so many years?

"She does her homework well," he thought resentfully, wondering how the hell she knew he would be at the gardens when even he didn't know he was going until he saw a flyer on his morning stroll, "And I do so hate being used."

Then again, he rather owed her at least one favor; more than just for the nice tea time. If it hadn't been for her...

Well, needless to say: a promise needed to be upheld.

He bit the tart in half and chewed thoughtfully before saying,

"My advice... would be to ask your friends for advice."

"I can't do that! I-"

Shadow held up a hand and Amy fell silent. He took a quick pause to make sure she wouldn't say anything more before adding, "I'm no leader, but what I've seen of my leaders is that all they do is ask for help. While the scope of your duties compared to the Princess' is arguably laughable, the positions themselves are ultimately no different than what you have been doing since the moment I met you.

He held out the tart, a bright red, perfectly cut strawberry gleaming at them both, "In any other industry, I could understand your hesitation towards yelling. But this is the military. Lives are on the line. One mistake and everything can fall apart; not just lives but missions, whole countries even. Whether you like it or not, you have to shape your team into people that can perfectly act on your orders at a moment's notice. You've been doing that since the Metal Armada situation six years ago."

Amy shook her head, "No one takes Big and Cream seriously either. They're both way more capable on their own than anyone gives them credit for."

"But you were the one who led them to be great together."

Shadow tilted his hand to show off the layer of strawberry jam under the layer of vanilla pastry cream inside the tart, "I won't deny their capabilities. Nor will I doubt that they are looked down upon. Not every strawberry is going to be considered a decoration, no matter how sweet it is. Big and Cream were two warriors who were so used to working on their own because no one believed in their goals. You saw their needs and promised them that and more then lead them to it. You carefully wove three people, who no one wanted or cared about, with all their own goals, ideas, strengths and weaknesses, together to create a team that kept up with the fastest creatures alive. You've done this for so many people over the course of so many years.

"But when you boil it down. All you did was ask them for help. You went up to people who no one else found any use for and you asked them to help you."

Amy's eyes widened in realization and Shadow finished the tart off. When he finished chewing, he added, "The Princess would be a fool not to consider you for the position. If I were in her shoes, however, I would want to know that you could come to me for help. As I'm sure you would want your soldiers to come to you in their time of need."

Amy paused, then frowned, "My training wasn't exactly formal. What if I'm not really ready? What if people get hurt or killed?"

Shadow rolled his eyes, "You very well could even if you did everything perfectly. If your greatest fear was failure, why become a Freedom Fighter?"

Amy scowled, "Hey! We've been very successful over the years!"

"With your fair share of slip ups," Shadow argued, "In any case, even I knew your training had holes in it. What makes you think she doesn't? She's dangerously optimistic but she's also practical. She didn't give you this job to flatter you. She gave it to you because she knows you can do it. I guarantee you, she'll appreciate it much more if you come in with a million question instead of not asking her the one that could keep you and your team alive."

Amy's scowl softened, then slowly spread into a tentative smile, "You- you really think I can do it?"

"Do you want it?"

"Of course! Why else would I be this worked up?"

Shadow shrugged, "Then I have faith in you, Captain."

Shadow dropped enough money on the table to cover both of the orders and was getting ready to leave when Amy grabbed his hand.

"Hold on a minute! Where do you think you're going?"

Shadow eyed her hand then the table rather curiously, "Do you need something else?"

"I mean... I have to thank you but..." Amy looked down at their hands then back up into Shadow's eyes, "You... don't think I only looked for you because I needed something from you, do you?"

Now Shadow was curious again, "We don't exactly keep in touch. Why else would this happen?"

Amy paled and her ears drooped in dismay, "I- Shadow I'm so sorry. That's not..."

Amy's eyes hardened and she stomped her foot, "No, you're right. I've been a bad friend and I need to make it up to you."

Shadow frowned, he would never admit he was a little intimidated by the display, "You don't have to-"

"Shadow, Sally told me yesterday and I haven't been able to stop thinking about the promotion since! You're the only one who was able to take my mind off of it and I haven't been there for you.

"Besides, I had a REALLY good time today. You're a lot nicer than I thought you would be!"

Shadow scoffed, but a smile twitched across his lips, "Such high compliments."

"I mean it," Amy promised, squeezing his hand reassuringly "If you want to be friends, I'd love to do this again sometime!"

Shadow eyed her suspiciously. He hadn't been expecting that. He searched her for any trace of duplicity. Surely she wanted him to train her? Grant her some edge to make her stronger? But as he looked and found nothing but sincerity in her form, he realized he was relieved by the thought.

It was a welcome distraction.

"We can discuss a future engagement later," he said, noticing one thing that was amiss, "You look like you haven't slept at all though. Let me walk you back, make sure you don't run into anything else."

Amy rolled her eyes, then set her own money down, enough for half of the total bill and the tip, "I didn't barge into you by accident you know! I hug all my friends like that."

She frowned again as they walked away from the pavilion, "I'm sorry if I scared you. I'm a touchy person and I can stop if you don't like it."

"Scared me?" Shadow barked, amused despite how embarrassed he was to be reminded of his lack of composure before. He hated to admit it, but she had caught him unawares. He slapped his usual arrogant smirk on his face to hide just how red he felt his muzzle going, "I am the Ultimate Lifeform. You couldn't surprise me if you tried."

Amy's eyes narrow, green glints of suspicion glittered into full merth as her mouth stretched into a mischievous grin of her own, "So... you let me hug you?"

Shadow's lipped twitched, "I allowed it, yes."

Amy's eyes seemed to grow brighter and Shadow was both intrigued and slightly afraid, "So, you don't mind if I greet you like that every time? With a big old hug for my friend Shadow?"

The corner of his lip twitched again. Normally his immediate answer would be no. That should have been his answer.

Then again.

What were the chances of her actually meaning it? How funny would it be if she were forced to concede this game of PDA chicken she had started?

"If you must," he granted, "I am hard to resist, after all."

To his surprise, Amy giggled loudly, boldly and contagiously. He couldn't help the genuine, low chuckle that bubbled up from his chest, even less so when she gently hip checked him.

"Alright! You asked for it! The next time I see you, you're gonna get it, mister!"

They walked away that day, Amy glowing like the brightest star and Shadow with a full and heavy heart.

"Promises, promises," he thought, "It would be nice if she would keep that one at least."

Funnily enough, to both his shock and delight, the next time they met, that was absolutely what she did.

"SHADOW! I was waiting for you! You're late, mister!"

And the time after that, and the time after that.

Always, he had to hide his smile.

How lovely, in a mundane way, to connect with someone in such a simple way as a hug.