A/N: Ooo, we're so excited to do this one.
Sword: Yes, we are!
Pen: *sigh* Cue the intro.
Silver, Blaze, and all related characters belong to Sega. The story, Sword, Pen, and the children belong to me. Please do not use without permission. Thank you to MissMJS, Lilly The Omega Wolf, FaolenBookWolf, NeckBreak, IT'S NO USE I'M OUTTA USE, chidoriprime, KnightofTheWind, and sad Little demon for their recent reviews. Let's go.
Wedding Anniversary- Part 1
Silver gently crept back into bed with Blaze, giddy and ecstatic about this whole set-up. He took one last look around the room, ensuring that everything was in its proper place. The tray with breakfast food was arranged perfectly on Blaze's side, in front of the open window so that the delicious smells would waft in her direction and wake her up. Her favorite of a spinach omelet, with buttered toast and some delicious cherry tart that Amy had given him the recipe for. He had woken up before the crack of dawn to cook it for her. True, he wasn't as good as the chefs of the castle, as the omelet was a little runny and the tart a tad overdone on the bottom, but he had practiced and done his best, so he could be satisfied with that.
Tucked between the plate and a glass of a juice was a card he personally made, with the front reading "Happy Anniversary to my Wonderful Wife" in painstakingly-drawn cursive.
As he settled into bed, he ran through his mental checklist one last time. Breakfast, card. Check, check. The twins. They were with the nurse and Gardon had promised to check in on them later. Check.
Backpacks. He looked at the door to their bedroom, where he had packed two large backpacks with food and supplies for a hike to the nearby mountains. For weeks, Blaze had been wanting to go back there. Today was predicted to be clear and sunny, nary a cloud in the sky, as if God above had created a perfect day for the hike. There would be no better time to go. Check.
And inside of his bag was a wrapped present, a small painted horse trinket Blaze had seen a few months ago that she told him had reminded her of one her grandmother had, so he had sought it out while she was busy one day and hidden it away for this occasion. He quickly hopped out of bed to make sure it was still there.
Most importantly, he had confirmed with her advisors that there were no meetings, nothing that required Her Highness to attend to today. He wanted this to be a surprise and wanted it to go off without a hitch. For once.
Blaze stirred in their large, four-poster bed and the silver hedgehog zipped back under the blankets. He reached around her, paused, afraid he might wake her up, and put his arm at his side. But that's awkward. Maybe on her waist? She was waking up now and he quickly settled on her hip, closing his eyes and pretending to be asleep.
He felt her turn in bed and look at him. She pecked his nose and he pretended to wake up. "Hey, you," she said.
"Hey, you." He faked a yawn and pulled her closer. "Sleep well?"
"Always." She nuzzled her nose into his neck and sat up, noticing the tray. Blaze smirked at him, the light catching her eyelashes and making them sparkle. Silver felt his heart skip a beat. How could anyone be so beautiful all the time without even trying? She rolled onto him and laid her head on his chest. "You're sweet, you know that?"
"So I'm told," he said, kissing her. "Happy fourth anniversary."
"Happy fourth anniversary," she said. "Thank you for toning it down from last year."
He chuckled and scratched his ear. "Yeah. A full buffet might not have been the best option." Especially considering that she hadn't had a chance to touch the food, having been called away for some meeting on foreign affairs with a neighboring country. "Better eat it before it gets cold."
She pecked his lips and sat up at the tray to eat while he climbed out of bed, checking the backpacks one last time. As she reached for the card, an urgent knock beat on their door.
"Come in," Blaze said between mouthfuls.
One of her advisors burst in and Silver already saw the familiar gears turning, the typical story playing out. He stood up from the backpacks and tried not to tugs his long quills out of his head. "Pardon me, Your Grace," he said, bowing humbly to her, then Silver. In that moment, Silver was thankful he wasn't the one with fire powers. Otherwise, he would have immediately chased the advisor out of the room with a burning backside.
"Yes, what is it?" Blaze asked.
"The new bill that was introduced yesterday for land tax," the advisor said. "A handful of governors are displeased with it. They are demanding to see you right away to re-work it."
"That bill doesn't take effect for many months," Blaze said. "It wasn't even passed by the council yet."
"I understand, Your Grace," the advisor said. "However, the governors still want to discuss this with you further today."
"Today?" Silver asked, clenching his fists and grinding his teeth. He knew what this meant. Whenever the governors were in an uproar, they would argue all day for weeks if it meant saving one gold coin rather than paying to help the country where the poor could not.
"Must it be today?" Blaze asked. "Today is rather important."
"I understand and I hate to interrupt you on this day, but I'm afraid they were very insistent," the advisor said, bowing lower.
Blaze sighed and looked to Silver, as if asking his opinion. But what could he say? Just because two people wanted to celebrate the day they said "I do," the world didn't stop turning. The country still needed leading, even if it was to quiet a few pompous outliers looking to save a buck that could be put off until tomorrow or handled by another advisor.
Silver took a deep breath. Don't think like that. It's hard enough being the Queen. He doubted she felt any better about it and could use his support. He met her eye again and nodded.
"Tell them I'll be right there," she said. The advisor took his leave after another bow and left them alone.
Blaze pushed the tray away and went to her wardrobe, picking out her normal attire of white pants and purple top, quickly throwing them on. "I'm sorry about this," she said while getting dressed. "I'll finish with them as quick as possible." He had heard that before. "Then we can have the whole day together. Whatever you want." He had heard that too.
She finished dressing and walked over to him. She dipped her head, looking into his drooped face. "Unless, you already had something in mind?"
He glanced at the backpacks behind his feet, then gave her a small smile. His lips couldn't even make it a quarter of the way up his cheeks. "Nothing that can't wait."
She took his hands in his. "I'll make this up, I promise." She kissed him and headed out. "Be back soon."
And the repeat was complete. He sighed, shuffling over to the breakfast tray of partially eaten food. He sat down, digging her fork into the omelet and playing with it until it was a goopy mess. At his feet, he found his card he had made, unopened, unread, fallen off the tray without notice, like him and his efforts.
Why did he do this to himself every holiday and special occasion? He went all out, putting all this thought into everything, and something always came up at the last minute. Always the last minute! He stabbed at the omelet, cutting up what little lumps were left. Sometimes, he wished Blaze and he were peasants, simple people. At least then, they could possibly celebrate an anniversary in peace for a change.
Silver didn't feel like celebrating anymore or doing much of anything. He was mad at the governors, the advisor, Blaze, himself, and just needed to get away. He shoved the tray away, accidentally knocking it on the floor and spilling the food. For a moment, he made to clean it up, then abandoned it. He would do that later. Right now, he needed a long, long walk.
He grabbed his boots, left a short note for Blaze, and headed out.
Silver didn't have any particular destination in mind when he left. He figured he would wander around, think to himself, but that went round and round in circles with him both upset at Blaze's absence, yet regretting his emotions.
Somehow, he wound up at Sonic's house, standing on the front doorstep. Sonic had an open-door policy. Literally, anyone was invited to walk in anytime if they needed help or just a place to crash. Still, he teetered on the doorstep, debating on entering, as if crossing the threshold was some arbitrary point of no return.
With a heavy sigh, he turned the doorknob and opened it to blasting music from the living room. Sonic stood on the sofa, microphone in hand, belting out a loud chorus to some old romance song about "using someone's love" or some such nonsense, in time to a game on-screen. Beside him, Tails plinked on a plastic guitar and Knuckles walloped on fake drumheads, nearly breaking his sticks.
Tails was the first to notice Silver staring dumbfounded in the doorway and tapped Sonic's leg. The blue hedgehog looked over and waved him in as the song ended. "Hey, come on in! We could use a bassist!"
"Uh, no thanks," he said, checking the rest of the immediate area. "Where is everyone?"
"Amy and Cream took the kids over to our new place for a play date," Knuckles said.
"Oh, okay," Silver said, still by the door. The more he thought about it, the more he figured this might have been a mistake. Maybe he should go to into town instead, get his mind off things.
Tails slipped off his guitar, picking up on Silver's sour mood. "Hey, is something wrong?"
"No," Silver said, but by then, Sonic had hopped down from the sofa and Knuckles had turned aside from the drums. Silver considered heading back out the door.
"Hey, man, you can tell us," Sonic said. "What is it? Is someone hurt?"
"No, nothing like that." Not in that sense. Before Silver knew it, Tails was guiding him to the sofa and sat him down in between all three of them. So much for leaving.
"Then what is it?" Knuckles asked now.
Silver looked into his hands, unsure how to start, and just traced the creases in his palms. Eventually, he took a deep breath and said, "Today's our anniversary. Blaze and me."
As soon as he said it, a chain reaction went off. They jumped away from him as if he were a cursed cockroach. Sonic ran into the kitchen and came back with a phone, quickly dialing a number. "Don't worry. We got you covered. Hello, Marco's? A dozen, uh," he covered the receiver. "Quick, Blaze's favorite flower?"
"Uh, she likes marigolds," Silver said. "But what does that-"
"Relax, we've been in this situation before," Knuckles said as Sonic placed an order for the flowers. "I have some spare chocolate boxes at my place. We'll go sneak some out and get you set-up."
"Just remember to breathe," Tails said, motioning in front of Silver and taking deep breaths. "Remain calm. Everyone forgets an event once in a while. Happens to everyone."
"But I didn't forget," Silver told him.
They paused and exchanged strange looks between one another. "Come again?" Tails asked.
"I didn't forget our anniversary," he said. "I remembered."
"So you didn't forget the date?" Knuckles asked.
"No."
Sonic hung up the phone. "And you got her a gift?"
"Of course."
They all puffed out a sigh of relief. "Then why the long face?"
Silver shrugged and began once more. "Well, it's our anniversary today. And I planned it out perfectly. Or so I thought." Bit by bit, he went over all his efforts, how he cooked breakfast, the gift he had bought and its importance, and the day he had planned for the two of them to enjoy. Then he repeated how it had all been shattered in an instant by one of her advisors.
"So she left to go deal with the governors and I went for a walk. Ended up here."
Knuckles clapped his shoulder and offered a sad frown. "Sorry, man. I feel for you."
"It's like no matter what I do, it doesn't work out," he said.
"How do you mean?" Sonic asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, last year, I cooked her a buffet. It came out okay, but she had a council meeting afterwards, so I didn't see her all day. This past Valentine's Day, I wanted to take her on a trip out to sea, but after I rented the boat, it didn't pan out. Something to do a foreign ambassador."
"Did you make them up the next day?" Tails suggested.
"Well," he picked at his ear. "You know how it goes. She's ruling a kingdom. So we plan to make it up. Then those plans kind of fall through cause of one thing or another."
"But she does appreciate them?" Sonic asked.
"Oh, yeah. She said she loves the stuff I do. Well, sometimes I go a little overboard, but mostly, she always loves them."
"No, no, no," Sonic said and put his face in Silver's, staring intently at him. "Does she appreciate them?"
Silver puzzled over what he meant at first, then it dawned on him. His face heated up and he dug into the palms of his hands. "Uh, well…I guess sometimes? Sort of?"
"Are you serious?" Knuckles said, easily reading through him. "All that and nothing?"
"I think we're getting off-track here," Silver said, trying to steer them back to his problem before the blood rush burst his head. "What should I do? Am I doing something wrong?"
"What should you do?" Sonic exclaimed and waggled a finger. "Uh-uh. You," he jammed his finger in Silver's fluffy chest, "should do nothing. You have done everything right. Better than right. Perfect." Tails and Knuckles nodded in agreement. "This is on Blaze and Blaze alone."
"Yeah, can I hire you for next Christmas?" Knuckles asked. "Rouge's mind would be blown if I did what you had done."
Silver frowned in confusion. "So I shouldn't do anything?" he asked and received a round of nods. "Then I just sit here until Blaze does what exactly?"
Sonic opened his mouth, then closed it, staring off into space. "That's," he said slowly, taking a seat across from them, "actually a good question. What is supposed to happen?" He looked to Tails and Knuckles, but both of them were as lost as he was.
"Normally, it's me having to make things up," Knuckles said. "Maybe a small thing here and there from Rouge, but nothing like this."
"Certainly not for an anniversary," Tails added. "This is, well, it's unprecedented."
"The first of its kind," Sonic said, chiming in. A small smile slowly crept up his face. "Why, this could be the first ever heard of." His green eyes sparkled with an idea and he clapped his hands, jumping up. "In fact, you," he touched Silver's nose, "will be the first to embark on a journey to the other side."
"What other side?" he said, pushing Sonic's finger out of his face.
"The side of being completely, one hundred percent faultless," Tails said.
"And why shouldn't he be?" Sonic said, climbing onto the sofa and pulling Silver up. "This poor hedgehog has slaved and worked his fingers to the bone, poured his heart into every loving act, and spent every waking moment being a rock of support! Can I get an amen, brothers?"
"Amen!" Tails and Knuckles cheered and raised their fists.
"I don't know if I would say that," Silver mumbled, but Sonic was no longer listening. He was on a roll, holding his audience of two captive with his speech.
"And does he receive an ounce of that same attention in return?"
"No!" the other two shouted.
"No! And we can't let that stand!" Sonic mashed Silver's cheeks together. "You're in the big times now. You're representing us all who have dreamed of being in your shoes for a change! Picture it!" He held Silver cheek to cheek, waving his hand in front of them and painting an imaginary picture. "The same love and care that you put your heart and soul into being returned to you, even tenfold!"
Blaze showing that much compassion for their special occasions? He had to admit, that would be a nice change. Even a tenth of what Sonic promised or her foregoing the meetings on those days to spend the day with him would be nice.
"I think you're getting a little crazy," Tails said, bringing Sonic back down.
"Maybe," he said. "But wouldn't it be nice living vicariously through him?" Again, he knew how to play to his audience's desires. "A win-win all around. We're going to make sure Silver gets the treatment he deserves. This, my friends, is history in the making. This is a miracle!"
"This is a disaster," Amy said. She sat at Rouge's dining room table, rocking Breeze to sleep in her arms. Blaze sat beside her, the piece of paper Silver had left behind before her, while Cream comforted her on her other side and Rouge made more coffee. In the living room, the other children played in a playpen, staying quiet for the most part.
"Okay, okay," Cream said as Rouge came back with a cup of coffee for her and Blaze. The cat sniffed at the black liquid, made a face, and dumped several packets of sugar and cream into it. "Walk us through it again."
Sighing, Blaze began at the top, explaining how Silver had cooked her favorite breakfast and how she had to rush off. "He looked so down-hearted when he left. You know, where he looks like, um..."
"Someone kicked a puppy?" Rouge offered.
Blaze groaned. "Yes, that. And when I went to see those governors and heard their complaints, I wanted to fry each of them. All of their complaints amounted to nothing and they dragged out the meeting as long as possible."
"By then, Silver was gone?" Amy asked, setting Breeze into her carrier and tucking her under a blanket.
"Yes. I found the breakfast tray knocked over, like he was upset. And of course, this note," she said, holding it out for them and reading it off in a bland tone for the upmteenth time. "Blaze. Gone out for a bit. Be back later. Love, Silver."
"And then?"
"And then I found the card," she said, pulling it out from underneath the paper. The design on it was beautiful and the calligraphy alone made Amy jealous.
"Silver must have killed at arts and crafts," Rouge said.
Blaze shook her head. "Not really. He can be a little clumsy. This took practice."
"Yeah, a lot of practice to get it right," Amy said, admiring the glittering design and the loving poem he had written inside. "This would be challenging for even me. And you found it where?"
"Next to the bed. I must have knocked it off the tray in my hurry." Amy and the others all made wincing faces and couldn't look at her straight for a moment. "I know, I know," Blaze said. "I got distracted. It happens." But even she didn't seem convinced of that, spinning the coffee cup nervously in her hands and fidgeting with the handle. A large, ornate card such as this was difficult to miss, first thing in the morning or not.
Cream raised another point, mercifully steering them off the uncomfortable faux-paw. "You said something about hiking?"
"Yes," she said. "I found two backpacks with hiking gear in it. I," she sipped some coffee and cleared her throat, "I've been mentioning how nice it would be to go hiking to some spot we went to a while ago. That must be what he was planning. I also found a present inside it."
"Still wrapped?"
"Yes, but knowing Silver, it's something thoughtful. Last year, he gave me a first-edition copy of my favorite book, bound in the finest leather you can find. He's always been like that, putting a lot of effort into his gifts for me." Her voice dropped and she stared at the coffee so long that it seemed like she forgot they were even here. Amy waited patiently until Blaze took another sip and finished up. "Then I came here, figuring he might have come to see one of you or the guys."
"My guess is he's at our house," Amy said. "But I wouldn't recommend seeing him now."
"Why? You think he's mad?"
"Mad? No," Amy said, reading his note. "This doesn't sound mad. Depressed, more likely. But going over there now might make it worse."
Blaze looked around at them. "So what do you think? What do I do?"
The three woman exchanged glances, none very reassuring. To put a fine point on it, Rouge drained her coffee and chuckled, "I think you're screwed, sweetie."
Amy threw her a dirty look, but it wasn't far from the truth. Like she herself had said at the start, this was a disaster. Just about every single aspect of this morning had been a misstep in Blaze's case and she couldn't see any way of possibly recovering.
"Okay, let's start with what we have to work with," Amy said. "What did you plan to do for your anniversary with Silver?" Blaze's eyes shifted down to the table and Amy's stomach dropped. "You did plan something, didn't you?"
"Well," Blaze said and Amy knew that tone all too well. That was the same tone Sonic started out with when describing how he forgot something important. "I mean, I thought we could spend the day together, maybe go somewhere nice."
Amy sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She felt a headache coming on. "What about a present? Did you buy him anything?"
"Of course," she said. "He's been mentioning how he wanted some new boots recently and-" All three girls groaned. "What?"
"That's all you got him?" Amy asked. "After all he did?"
"I've never been very good with holidays or events like this," Blaze said. "Growing up, we didn't celebrate them much. They were just another day, as the kingdom always had work to do. I know they're important, and I've tried to go along with the traditions, but it's hard to fight something so ingrained."
"Not for Silver it seems."
"No, not for him. In fact, not only did he cook me an entire buffet for breakfast last year, but for my past birthday, he had planned a special evening at a restaurant."
"A little dinner and dancing?" Cream asked.
"Exactly, only..." Amy didn't know if she could take much more of this trainwreck of a situation. "Only I was called away and by the time I got back, the restaurant was closed. However, even though it was midnight, the staff and chefs were still there, as was Silver. He had stayed awake all that time so we could have dinner and a little dancing."
"Well, it must have been easy to convince the staff and chefs to stay for their queen."
Blaze shook her head. "No, they stayed because Silver bribed them, promising to help out a couple of weeks pro bono."
"Ladies, ladies," Rouge said, folding her hands before Amy and Cream could despair again. "Lift up those faces. Obviously, this isn't a total loss. After all, I'm sure our little queen here was very thoughtful and considerate of her husband after such gestures. Later that night, I mean."
Burying her mouth in her coffee, Blaze mumbled, "Well, not that night. I was pretty sore later, so Silver gave me a massage."
Rouge blinked. "But I'm sure that loosened up the kinks and you...you know?"
"I would have," Blaze said. "But, um, Silver's fingers are quite nimble. Very nimble."
All that practice with telekinesis, Amy wagered.
"And I sort of, well, dissolved."
"No," Rouge said.
Cream patted her shoulder. "It's nothing to worry about. It happens." Before she could button her lips, all eyes turned to her and she realized what she sat. She laid her head on the table, hiding her red face behind her ears.
"Let me get this straight," Amy said. "He gives amazing gifts, plans perfect days for your holidays and anniversaries, supports you even when you leave on these days, doesn't complain, is very generous in your 'nocturnal bonding'," Rouge snorted and went to the pot beside the stove for more coffee, "and he's gotten nothing in return?"
"Not nothing," Blaze said. "I do things sometimes" But that defense didn't even reach her eyes and the truth settled on her shoulders, bringing them down. "What do I do?"
"Realize that you've married the perfect guy for starters," Amy said. "You think Sonic is always this consistent? Or creative?"
Rouge picked up the card, reading through it again. "Knuckles too. I've never received a poem from him, much less seen him pick up a pencil. And with his 'duty', he forgets dates all the time."
Cream had now risen her head, calm now that everyone's attention was off of her. "I hate to say it, but they're right. Even though Tails is sweet, he can get wrapped up in his shop and hours can pass before he realizes he's late for something we planned for our anniversary. We love them, but I've never heard of anything like Silver."
"Nor have I," Amy said. "You need to win him back."
"How?" Blaze asked, looking as every bit lost and confused as a tourist in a new country.
Amy looked to Rouge and Cream. "I'll call the guys. Set up a meeting."
"And we need to take you shopping," Rouge said, dragging Blaze by the arm. "You need something special to wear for today."
"I think I have enough outfits I could choose from," she said.
Rouge's lips curled in a wicked grin. "Not these kind, you don't." She called back for Cream. "Come along, hot cross buns. We can use your input too." Again, with a scarlet face, Cream shuffled along behind, holding her head low.
Amy grabbed the phone off the hook, shook her head, and dialed home. This was going to be quite the task.
A/N: Well, this one ended up being a bit more risqué than I anticipated.
Sword: But that makes it all the more fun!
Pen: Yes, yes. Let's move on with it.
Right. Thank you all for reading and please let us know what you think of it. We always love hearing from you all.