· · ─────── Silver's POV ─────── · ·

Silver's posture relaxes as he recognizes the owner of the sweet voice that called out to him. He gives a nervous smile and places a hand on the aged wooden steps he was seated upon. "It's you." He says gently, beaming up at her.

Stephanie flashes him a sweet smile before she hums happily in response. "Mind if I sit with you?"

His heart flutters and he just nervously nod as she makes her way next to him... She sits down and sighs happily beside him, her long blonde hair gently swaying in the wind. She was not in her usual get-up in her work outfit... She wore casual clothes and carried an over-the-shoulder bag on her hip. "Thank you~"

"N-not a problem." Silver responds gently, peaking at her from the corners of his eyes. She notices this and smiles more, turning to look at him, but her happy expression quickly fades upon seeing the bandages on his head and arms.

"...Are you okay?" She asks worriedly. "What happened to you?"

"Oh, this?" He laughs in response, glancing down at himself as he admires his many bandages and band aids. "It's nothing... Just a little scuffle I had earlier..."

"Oh, gracious..." Stephanie says gently, frowning as she looks at him with a concerned expression on her face, her large teal eyes scanning his face with worry. "You got to be more careful next time. ~" She says gently, closing her eyes happily as she looks at him, actually picking up on his genuine smile for once.

Silver's stomach knots up as he watches her expressions, feeling touched by her kindness and concern for him. "...S-so uh..." He turns to look ahead, watching the waves crash up against the rocky shoreline nearby and he fiddles with his fingers anxiously. "Don't you have to go to work soon?" He asks worriedly, glancing at her from the corners of his eyes again.

Stephanie sits back a little before she just laughs softly. "Oh no... ~ Today is my day off." She says happily before beaming. "But it's also sort of not a day off for me since I got class today..."

"Class?" Silver asks, surprised a little as he turns his head to look at her again, watching the blonde hedgehog excitedly turn to face him.

"Yupp! I don't have class in another hour or so, but I was planning on getting a cup of coffee at the nearby shop up the plaza... That was before I saw you here though..." She says, trailing off shyly before she pipes back up again, sitting up a little.

"Oh goodness... I don't want to hold you back from getting what you need." Silver says gently, worried he might have accidentally eaten up some of her time, not catching on that she wanted to spend time with him.

"The coffee can wait~" She says gently.

"A-are you sure?"

"Positive." She says happily before she looks forward, her gaze on the sparkling ocean ahead of them.

"If you do not mind me asking, Stephanie..." Silver begins. "What is it exactly that you're taking classes for?" He asks, keeping his eyes locked on a far away sailboat in the distance as it made its way across the water.

Stephanie tilts her head a little, surprised that he wanted to know about her education life. "Well... Originally I wasn't going to go to school..." She explains. "I wanted to get into the Hero Agency with my best friends since that was the plan growing up with them..." She blushes. "But given my limited abilities...This is all that I can do..." She lifts a hand up to show him. Silver watches her hand carefully, not sure of what to expect, but then she points to a few nearby mobians. "See that lion over there?" She asks quietly, only getting a small nod from Silver in response. "He's feeling really bitter today even though he's not wanting to show it on the outside..." She then gives a weak smile, turning her attention to a turtle that slowly walked past them. "Then that tortoise there is very happy, content even." She then beams, looking over at Silver finally, her bright aqua blue eyes locking with his. "And you sir... are very anxious but curious..." She explains his exact feelings... Silver sits back, stunned at first before he opens his mouth. "...So, you're an Empath?" He asks quietly. "You can read people's emotions and even read their minds?" He asks, almost excited. "Only emotions..." She says with a frown. "It'd be really neat if I could read minds... b-but I can't... only emotions and sometimes I can change those emotions if it's a good day..." She then gently sighs. "And unfortunately... Changing emotions aren't going to cut it on the battlefield... If anything, I'd be a liability and be a bother..." She glances away, embarrassed as she props her head up with her hands, going on to explain. "So... I decided my best option in a career would be something that I enjoy and that is my passion..."

"Which was...?" Silver asks, feeling pity for the blonde hedgehog beside him... He knew how hard it was to not be taken seriously with limited powers or none at all. He knew that Stephanie would have made a great hero if she had more abilities than just making water form out of thin air.

"Kids. ~" She says gently, closing her eyes happily. "I really like children, and I would love to teach them... So, I'm trying to become a teacher~"

Silver could not help but feel a small smile form on his lips, hearing her express her passion for her dreams was kind of wholesome to him. "I think you'd make a great teacher, Stephanie... You're going to do amazing." He says gently, reassuring her that she had everything in the bag.

"You think so?" She asks, her eyes full of excitement. Silver took the moment to admire her natural beauty, instantly finding her gorgeous. Her outfit was simple yet did not seem too much out of her realm of style. Just a pair of leggings with a pair of slip-on shoes. A loose pink t-shirt with a black tank top underneath... A large pink bow on the top of her head between her ears. She was really cute, and he could not help but smile a little, taking in the little details of her image.

"I know so~" He says gently, beaming at her.

"So, what about you, Silver?" She asks gently, grinning at him with a sweet smile. "Do you have any dream jobs or anything of that nature you'd want to do?" She asks, genuinely curious.

"M-me?" He asks gently. "I haven't... put much thought into it..." He answers honestly.

"Well obviously you're a hero, right?" She asks with a giggle, amused with him.

"Well... kinda but not really..." Silver blushes faintly, giving a nervous smile. "I'm just a guy who wants the fate of this planet to be in good hands..." He says with an awkward smile, his amber eyes locking with her teal blue. "It's a beautiful place and I'd hate to see anything bad happen to it."

Stephanie could not help but smile a little before she closes her eyes happily. "Oh, I see...~ I get it now." She says sweetly, taking in the details of his face. After a few seconds, they broke eye contact and looked back towards the sparkly ocean in front of them... A long silence before suddenly they both opened their mouths at the same time.

"Hey, do you-"

"Can I ask you somethi-"

Jumbles of words colliding into one another before Stephanie gives a giggle and Silver a nervous chuckle.

"I'm sorry." Silver apologizes lightly, turning to face her. "Please go ahead."

"A-are you sure?" Stephanie asks lightly, a faint blush forming on her face. "If you want to ask me something, please go right ahead."

"Oh no, it can wait." He says gently, lifting a hand. "Please, go ahead~"

She cracks into a gentle smile before she reaches over, taking his hand lightly before giving it a gentle squeeze. "...Silver do you want to go on a date with me this week?"

Silver's eyes widened... "A date?" He asks, having never been on one in his entire life, he had no idea how to respond at first, his face began to burn hot as he glances down at their hands. "Like...?"

"It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just something cute or small." She says reassuringly. "If not and you have plans then don't worry about it." She says gently, her grip loosening as she tries to hide the fact she was bummed out, but before she could pull her hand away quickly, Silver took it into both of his and he gives her an honest smile.

"Stephanie, w-wait..." Silver began gently. "I'd be more than happy to go on a date with you... Later tonight?" He asks."

Surprised by his actions and the determination in his voice, she gives him a shy smile before shaking her head lightly. "I wish it could be tonight... b-but I have class all day up until eight... But I am off again on this Thursday and I'd be more than excited to see you then~" She says gently, locking eyes with him.

The butterflies were threatening to come out of his belly and into his throat at this point... Silver nodded quickly before he gently pats her hand. "Then you got yourself a deal... We are going on a date this Thursday...~" He closes his eyes happily, not really understanding the lingo of a date, but putting one and one together, he just assumed that it meant more time to get to know her.

She giggles happily in response before she glances down at her wristwatch and gasps. "Oh goodness..." She says worriedly as Silver lets go of her hand. "I-I'm running late." She says with an embarrassed smile. "T-time sure does fly by when you're having fun." She says gently before she watches Silver stand up beside her, when she looks up at him, she notices he is holding out a hand to help her up. She takes it and rises to his feet. "T-thank you." She says with a shy smile. "I got to get going... But I'll see you on Thursday..." She says gently as she beams at him.

Silver closes his eyes happily, not expecting much out of this simple interaction, however, he felt something peck him on his face and he opens his eyes quickly, realizing she had leaned over to kiss him gently on the cheek. His entire face reddens, and he watches her pull away and take her leave... He watches her leave but before she was out of sight, she turns around and waves at him, beaming happily.

"Meet me at Central Park around 4 on Thursday?!" She asks over the crashing waves and crowds of people.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world!" He calls out after her, stepping onto the boardwalk completely, off from the steps as he waves back, feeling a grin form on his face as he watches her flash him back an innocent smile and beam at him.

"Great! I'll see you then!" She calls back, lowering her hand before she turns around to rush to class...

Silver watches her get lost in the crowd and he felt a wave of emotions hit him... A flustered mess as he feels a giant grin form on his lips, unsure of how to describe this feeling he felt... He did not realize that this feeling was the passion of love and the seeds were planted within his heart... She just added the water to the sapling, and it was already on its course to grow...

To Be Continued...