Hi guys, thank you for the positive feedback on the last chapter. I posted this on A03 as well if you prefer to use that platform as well, my username is exactly the same if you want to follow me on there.
Special Thanks to 03, CVGWJames, JustLayInTheAtmosphere and a Guest for reviewing the last chapter.
Amy was buzzing on the train back to Station Square. Her large grimace drew attention from the everyday commuters, but she did not care. For the first time in months, Amy felt like a kid again, like the lovesick teenager she used to be. Sonic was back in town, and she would not waste this opportunity.
While Amy was always in a good mood at work, today she was over the moon and could not wait for her shift to end. Normally, she had a soft spot of patrons, especially couples, who liked to linger until she finished cleaning up. Today, however, Amy was practically shoving out the door at closing time.
'Finally,' she sighed as she rested against the door. Amy began to prepare the treats for her date with Sonic. She ran to the storage room where she kept her spare clothes after work. Normally, her bright red dress would be enough, but today a nicer outfit was more appropriate for her reunion with Sonic. Instead, she made a beeline to her apartment to find a special outfit which was trapped at the back of her closet, still brand new in the box. Amy brought it months ago during a shopping spree, but never found an occasion to wear it. It wasn't really her style, but Rouge encouraged her to get something out of her comfort zone.
'Maybe it'll finally get Big Blue's attention' Rouge teased at the time. The black dress with blue accents and a yellow sash around the waist that the fashion consultant suggested to add to complete the look. It was pretty, but different to her personal tastes. However, Amy thought that different might help her finally get somewhere on the relationship ladder with Sonic.
The knocking on the café door, almost made her jump in excitement. She took a moment to do her final checks and primp herself ready for their friendly reunion, which Amy could hopefully turn into something more. Amy stared into her pocket-sized mirror and took a deep breath. She's tried being sweet. She's tried being sassy. So clearly now's the time to be more mature.
"I hope you're ready, Sonic. I won't let you go so easy this time!"
"Sonic, you sure this all, okay?" Dexter was panicking like a mad man. He was compulsively looking in shop windows as the duo walked down Station Square's busy high street to make sure he looked presentable. Unfortunately, Sonic nor Tails could offer him a change of clothes, but Tails was nice enough to let the stranger use his bathroom to wash up. Dexter cleaned up nicely but left Tails' bathroom in a such dirty state that Tails would be cleaning it up for weeks to come.
"Sure, I'm sure. Amy's gonna love ya'," he predicted, not that he had any reason to believe that claim himself. "She has a soft spot sappy guys like you."
Dexter sighed, "Is she even going to want to go out with me, especially if you're coming along?"
"Dex, you worry too much." Sonic stopped him a block from Amy's café and forced him to look at their reflections in a store window. "Look, tell me what you see."
"The world's fastest hedgehog in the world and some sweaty nervous wreck?"
"NO! You're looking at the world's fastest AND coolest hedgehog, as well as the guy that going to win Amy Rose's heart!"
"B-But how I am supposed to do that. Isn't she still in love with you?" Dexter questioned, which Sonic brushed off.
"Details. Details. Wait here!" Within less than a second, Sonic ran off leaving a trail of blue streaks in his wake and came back within moments of Dexter even blinking, holding a small bouquet of lilies.
"There." The blue hedgehog shoved the flowers into Dexter's hand. "You can give her these flowers. Girls like Amy eat up gifts like this."
"But won't she appreciate them more coming from you? And wouldn't roses be the most obvious choice?" Sonic groaned in frustration. 'I thought I was the matchmaker here.'
"Dexter, do you want to go on this date or not?"
The tan hedgehog's wide-eyed expression came back, "More than anything!"
"Good, then let's go!" The boys finally made it to Amy's café after what seemed like hours of deliberation (and manipulation on Sonic's end). Sonic peered through the window and found the store empty, meaning Amy must have closed for the day. He lazily knocked on the locked door to alert Amy to his presence. He heard a faraway shriek of "Sonic!" before a loud thud and painful groans.
"Alright, now do you remember the plan?" Sonic whispered and Dexter feverishly nodded in response. "You wait out here. I'll go break the ice, and when I give you the signal, you come in and give her the flowers, okay?"
"Roger!" Dexter saluted and hid around the corner, only slighting exposing himself to get a look at the pink beauty and prepare what he's wanted to tell her since he was a teenager.
Sonic took a deep breath and prepared himself for the afternoon ahead as he saw Amy open the door to the backroom, ready to finally greet him after her tumble. He exposed a light smile. At least there was food in it for him.
Amy rushed out the storeroom to greet her special guest.
"Sonic, you finally made it!" She ran as fast as she could up her crush and immediately hugged her hero with all her might.
"Hey, cut it out, I told you I promised." Her hugs, no matter the amount of physical and mental preparation, always caught him off guard, especially the forcefulness of such hugs. However, he let it slide this time. He needed to stay on her good side this afternoon. He looked down to see how happy she was. Her doting eyes and bright emerald eyes always lit up the room.
"Come on, sit down," She guided him over to one the corner booths to ensure their privacy. To Sonic's surprise, a wide array to sweets and snacks were laid out just for him on a large baking tray. "I saved a bunch of stuff just for you, so you pick out what you want."
Sonic immediately coolly slid into the booth and tucked to the first cookie he could lay his hand on. "If I knew I would be treated to this every week, I would have visited back sooner."
Amy let out a faint "Yes!" in her mind. Food was always the most subtle way to get into Sonic heart, especially when she promised to treat him to a chilli dog at the end of a friendly date.
While he was distracted by her sweet treats, she slowly slid herself beside Sonic in the booth, subconsciously wanting to make sure he had no easy escape this time. It was time to go for the kill.
"Well, Sonic, you know always welcome to visit. I would never turn you away. Perhaps after this we could continue this at my place," she commented flirtatiously. Sonic stopped snacking on his third muffin and nearly cursed out loud. Her tone was devilishly innocent. He was so busy enjoying her food, he almost forgot about Dexter, and even more worryingly, almost forgot about Amy's old tricks. It was too late, however. Amy made sure the space between them was non-existent. Sonic slowly observed Amy from the concerned of his eye, careful not to make any sudden reactions which might upset Amy. He finally noticed her change in clothes and smell of a lemony perfume. It was all consuming. Intoxicating. But he couldn't run away now. Not this time. He promised to warm her up for Dexter.
"You're doing this for Amy," Sonic selflessly reminded himself. 'And for yourself.'
The girl's laughter brought him back to reality. "You are still so messy." She took a napkin from her pocket and proceed to wipe the non-existent crumps off Sonic's mouth with it. Under the guise of cleanliness, she took a moment to look into his own emerald eyes, admiring them before continuing.
"I've really missed you, Sonic." She pretended to randomly drop her hand over his own.
Sonic gulped. Internally he was shaking, mentally preparing to run off as his teenaged self would have, but knew he had to grin and bear it while she was in this lovey-dovey mood. Externally however, he just awkwardly smiled and agreed with her and gave subtle signals to Dexter across the road.
"I missed you too, Amy, it's been a while. T-Thanks for the foo-" Sonic attempts to draw the conservation away from the romantic tension was interrupt by Amy letting a sly finger stroke at his arm.
"You're welcome, Sonic, you know I'd do anything for you. I know you're probably only in town for a little while, so I know this is really selfish to ask but..." She made sure to appear cute yet sultry while feigning coyness.
"I was wondering if you wanted to take me to- OH!" A harsh succession of knocks took Amy out of her seduction mode. She looked away from her date to see a lone hedgehog banging on her café door. Amy tried but failed to conceal her anger and growled under her breath. No matter how, subtle or forward with Sonic she was, there was always external forces driving them apart at the last moment. At least Sonic was glad Dexter came on cue and that her anger wasn't directed at him for once. It was scary how Amy could go from a cute, polite girl to a demon the next when provoked.
"WE'RE CLOSED!" Amy got up and yelled to try and get the man to go away so she could get back to fulfilling her master plan. Sonic smirked when he saw his opening to make himself scarce. He ran to the door and let Dexter inside. 'All according to plan'.
"Hey Dexter come in, surprised to see ya' here. I'm glad you were able to make it." Sonic read his lines to the letter, but Dexter was slow on the uptake. "Yeah Sonic, you just told me to come-" Sonic nudged him.
"Oh right," He whispered. Dexter composed himself and remembered his part in this scheme. "I'm glad you invited me."
Amy was suspicious. "Sonic, you know this guy?"
"Of course!" He put his arm around Dexter. "This is Dexter, Tails and I met him on one of our test flights. We go way back." Dexter nodded unconvincingly in agreement.
"Sure," Amy commented, sceptical of Sonic's actions and this mysterious hedgehog's coincidental appearance.
"In fact, Dexter came all the way from his place, just to meet you."
"Me? Why?"
Dexter become quiet and nervous again once he was able to view Amy's beauteous vision in the flesh. Amy almost always be seen in with her iconic matching red dress and boots unless there was a sporting event taking place. To see her all dolled up was a teenage boy's dream come true even if he knew she wasn't dressed up for him. Dexter shook himself out of his lovestruck daze and remembered the speech he practised outside.
"Well, it's an honour to meet you Miss Rose," he swiftly pulled out the lilies he was hiding behind his back.
"I never thought I'd be able to say thank you in person."
Amy was shocked. "T-Thank me!? For what?"
"For saving my family from the virus."
"The Metal Virus," Sonic said aloud.
"I started working as a cargo transporter when it happened. I was able to fly somewhere safe once I realised the extent of what was really happenin', but every day I was thinking about my family and if they were turned into one of those monsters. They lived on an island, so they were safe for a while, but soon the place got contained by a ship carrying a zombot. They sent out an SOS. My mom and my sister were one of the only survivors left and you came to save them anyway. So, thanks...I guess." Dexter ended his story bashfully.
Both Sonic and Amy were stunned. He was spoke so intently and then quickly when back to his quirky self. Luckily Amy seemed to be charmed by it as she took the flowers from him.
"Wow... as the co-commander of the Resistance, I was used to not getting praise, and besides that was a long-time ago." She said flippantly, trying to brush it off.
"Well, I never forgot." He said earnestly.
Amy looked up to Dexter. The stared at her with such intensity. The same way she looked at Sonic. Amy blushed. As Amy got older, she did have male admirers, most of which she ignored as her eyes were on Sonic. Only few caught her interest but that quickly declined after one date or two. None of them seem to have the 'it' factor she liked in a man. However, Dexter seemed to be the sincerest and liked her for her bravery as well as looks.
The hedgehogs were caught up in their own world, chatting up a storm causing Sonic to pat himself the back after successfully playing Cupid. To complete the act, he feigned tiredness and yawned.
"It's getting late, and I promised Tails I'd go back help him out some more." Amy, smitten by the lilies, ignored Sonic's desire to take a nap in the afternoon.
"But I was going to ask you take me to-"
It was too late again. Sonic the Hedgehog was on the run. Amy sighed. She knew this would happen. Dexter noticed her mood deflate and tried to cheer her up.
"I tried some of ya' cookies at Tails' house. They remind me of how momma' used to make 'em." Amy perked up a little. "They're my own recipe. Made with love."
Amy turned her head to see the baking try she left out for Sonic; half eaten but still enough for two to enjoy. "Well, it's Sonic loss then, why don't we eat the rest together?"
"I-I'd love to."
She placed the bouquet in her bag to take home, planning on placing them in an empty vase by her bed side. "And how did you know I liked lilies? Every guy I know always gets me roses." She joked. Dexter awkwardly laughed along.
"Lucky guess..."
Amy and Dexter sat at the booth, ate and talked for what seemed like hours, it was only when the sun started to descent on the city did Amy realised how late it was getting.
"Geez, I'm such a blabbermouth, it's already late, I'm sorry to keep you."
"No, don't be I enjoyed every minute." She escorted him to the door and said her goodbyes.
"It was nice to hang out with you Dexter, I haven't had that much fun in a while, I hope I can see you again soon."
Now! This was the chance Sonic was talking about. He knew from Sonic, that Amy liked guys who are confident, so he could not shy away from this golden opportunity.
"Actually Amy, I would like to see you again." He hesitantly put up his arm up again the door, above Amy, making sure to keep his eyes on her and their distance close, but comfortable. Sonic said it works every time.
"Tails' is going to help fix my plane by next week and I heard there's a romance festival soon going on near where Little Planet comes down every year."
Amy's heart skipped a beat, "You know about that?!" Amy had heard about it last year and immediately daydreamed plans to go with her blue crush. The only issue was catching Sonic at the right time to tell him he was taking her.
"I was thinking, in exchange for the free food, I could take you and we could... um...-"
"I'D LOVE TO!" Amy squealed out but then composed herself again. "I mean. That would be nice. To go there and um..." For once Amy was the one lost for words. She was always used to being the bold one in relationships and was never one to shy away from making the first move. Never matter how hard she tried, subtly was never Amy Rose's strong point.
"That's great!" Dexter excitedly replied, but then remembered Sonic's advice to stay cool. "So, I'll pick you next weekend."
"That's okay, I'll come by the workshop."
"Okay."
"Okay."
Silence consumed them, it was only when Dexter's anxiety got the better of him and he rushed out with a quick 'Bye!'
Amy closed the door and squealed. For the first time, in a long time, a guy asked her out, she said yes and was actually excited to go out with them. For the first time, in a long time, going out with a guy that wasn't Sonic didn't seem all that bad.
"Dexter... If only you showed up when I needed to make Sonic jealous for real." Her childish antics made her feel nostalgic and yet optimistic for the weekend ahead.
Thank you for reading this chapter and tell me what you think by leaving a review! This story will probably be two chapters or more longer with an epilogue attached to stay tuned!
See you in the next chapter!