"And you're sure he's waiting up there?"

"Unless he's managed to lose his gloves?" Tails gave her a grin, holding the Miles Electric out for her to see the blinking display. "Got Knuckles and Shadow on standby in case Eggman tries anything tonight, too, so no excuses for him to run off, either."

"You really do think of everything, don't you?" Amy grinned back, nudging him with her bare elbow.

"Sometimes twice." Tails nodded, slipping the computer pad into his hammerspace once more. "You okay?"

"Not really." Amy smiled, tightly. "Kind of panicking, if I'm honest."

She'd thought it had been so clever before. A picnic on Never Mountain, looking up at Little Planet above where they'd first met, and down at Never Lake, where he'd first carried her across the crumbling link between worlds and left her there on its shores.

Maybe if she'd kissed him then, instead of covering her face like a scared little girl, things would have been different?

"You'll be fine." Tails smiled. "You're looking great. That outfit really brings out your inner charms."

"Very funny." Amy snorted.

That had seemed clever before too. No fancy location, no ornate outfit, no special makeup. Just her, her favourite red dress, and the place that was both a reminder of the past, and a sign of how far she'd come from the young baseline girl she used to be, barely turned eight and in desperate need of a hero. No glasses, of course, but baby steps, and it was better than spending her next paycheck on a fancy dress and six hours doing her makeup only to give up and beg Rouge to do it properly instead, and going off somewhere with hundreds of people to see her almost inevitable embarrassment.

And... now she was here, looking up through the dark mountains and rolling plains and feeling super plain herself. Dull, boring, and still in desperate need of a hero and barely able to believe that Sonic would even stick around long enough for her to embarrass herself in the first place. How far had she come, really? She was only-

Hands gripped hers, giving them a light squeeze.

"I'm serious." Tails smiled up at her, the light of Little Planet shining above giving his blue eyes a faint green tinge. "You're going to be fine. Just show him the real Amy Rose."

"... Thanks." Amy brushed a finger across her quills. "I guess I already tried everything else, huh?"

"Well I don't think I ever did successfully set you up with that magical girl transformation."

"Hey, I was nine. Lots of dumb stuff seems smart when you're nine."

"I'll bear that in mind."

"Oh shut up, you don't count." Amy punched him lightly in the arm of his leather jacket, already looking well worn despite how recently she'd given it to him. Well, she hadn't expected otherwise, adventuring was hard on the wardrobe. She bought a lot of her own outfits in bulk.

"So…" Tails shrugged. "You going?"

"Don't-" Amy frowned, cheeks darkening. "Don't rush me."

"Do you need me to escort you up there?"

"No!" Amy looked away, pouting. "Little bit. But… no. I can stand up to Metal, I can do this… right?"

Even if it was a thousand times scarier. Even if she'd still never been kissed. Even if there were a thousand ways this had already gone wrong in her head and it was all she could do not to ask Tails to check if Sonic was still there waiting and she could barely even imagine it going right and not coming on too strong and not scaring him away.

Tails just nodded, his quiet smile in place, staring at her in patient silence, still holding her hand where she hadn't let go.

"... Thanks, by the way." She finally withdrew, rubbing her hands over her bare forearms.

"Huh? It was no problem, it was on my way to Spagonia after all."

"Hah. Riiight. It's only six hundred miles off course." Amy smirked. "But I just… meant all of this. For taking the time to hang out with me and… stuff."

"Stuff?"

"You know." Amy huffed. "All the dates. And just… being there, when… Sonic was… busy."

Especially when she'd been the one who should have been helping him. Small wonder he'd made so little progress with Cream when he'd been so busy dealing with her problems lately.

"I don't think I'd be here right now if it wasn't for you." Amy laughed ruefully. "Well, in lots of ways."

"Glad I could help." Tails nodded, smile widening, though never reaching his eyes. "In lots of ways."

"And… and I'm going to return the favour! Next time you're in the area, just you wait and see!" She grinned, already scheming how she might set up that last little push to get Cream and him together and official at last, and finally get those double dates she'd been dreaming of.

Except maybe she'd actually be the one in the relationship easing the way for the young couple? Her four year stalemate over, Sonic and her holding hands, and watching Tails and Cream and making sure that their path to love was smooth and warm and...

And it was hard to imagine. But Sonic was actually here, for her, for a date, waiting for her. So there was a chance. And if not... maybe he'd actually spend the whole date with her for once? Or... most of it?

Amy took a deep breath, clenching her fists to keep her hands from shaking.

"Alright, I'm going! Wish me luck!"

"Good luck." Tails shook his head. "But you don't need it."

"Don't need it?" Amy snorted. "Sure. Maybe you should stick around a few minutes just in case a magic portal shows up? Can't eat a whole picnic by myself."

"It won't. And…" Miles rubbed the back of his head, looking towards the glittering lake with a sigh. "No."

"Huh?" Amy paused, halfway turned towards the mountain path. "Oh. That's fine. I was joking."

"Sorry." Tails' smile turned sad. "I think... the more time I spend with you, the less I want to help you."

"Oh." Of course. How could he think otherwise? He had Cream and things to do and she was already imposing just by having him bring her here. "I… understand. I'm sorry. I didn't realise I was bothering you so much."

"Wh-what? No, I meant-"

Stupid. As usual she hadn't bothered to stop to think about how Tails might feel about her making him come out and spend so much time with her, she'd just taken advantage of him over and over again without realising she was destroying their friendship and this was the last straw and now he hated her and-

Hands slipped around her cheeks, sliding under her spines. Her eyes widened as he stood on tiptoe, lips pressing against her own, nose lightly bumping hers, tails coiling gently around her legs.

And just as quickly, Tails withdrew, slender fingers slipping away. Amy's heart pounded painfully in her chest as she raised a hand to cover her lips, mind reeling. He smiled faintly, shy and uncertain all the way up to those unreadable blue eyes.

"I-"

She slapped him.

There were no rings as the little fox spun through the air away from her, bouncing across the grass. Why were there no rings? Amy stared at her own hand, then up at him in horror as he sat up, blood staining the fur around his lips.

"I'm rooting for you, Amy Rose." His expression had gone, replaced by empty eyes and a forlorn smile. "Always have been."

"Tails, I-" Amy stepped towards him, struggling around the lump in her throat.

But he had already turned and run away.

Leaving her alone in the dark.

The End