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The grass tickles, but Amy understands just how Sonic feels when she lies down in it. Under the shade of the tree, all Amy can really feel is the gentle breeze as both her quills and the grass beneath her sway in the wind.
Speaking of Sonic, he's laying down against the tree, looking off into the distance. Amy sits up, rubbing her nose as a nervous habit.
"So, um..." Amy hums, trying to fill the empty silence with more than just wind ambiance. "Nice weather we're having today, isn't it? Perfect weather for running."
"Why wouldn't you tell me, Ames?" Sonic says, deciding not to acknowledge the small talk. Amy's not surprised. "We're friends, aren't we?"
"I didn't want you to worry, Sonic," Amy mumbles as she fidgets with the edge of her shirt. "There are so many things you have to worry about, and you do so much for me, and the world, that I just didn't think..."
Sonic lets out a small sigh.
"I just thought it'd be better if I didn't."
"Amy, you know I care about you, right?"
Only a year ago, that would have made Amy's heart flutter. But now, all she does is smile at the thought. "I do, I know that, but..."
"And I want you to come to me when you need help." Sonic presses his lips together. "Not that there's nothing wrong with Shadow. I'm sure he's helpful and he's done a good job. But I just want you to know that I'm here for you too."
"But I don't want to burden you," Amy begins, looking to the side instead. "I already was nervous bothering Shadow."
"It's not a burden," Sonic says, firmly, grasping onto her shoulder in an attempt to be comforting. "You're not a burden. You could never be a burden. You're one of my best friends, Amy."
Amy can feel her face tingling. She looks down at the ground. "I just didn't want you to think I wanted to, I dunno, get your attention or anything..."
A beat.
"Attention?"
"Because I'm supposed to be over you," Amy explains, then shakes her head. "Because I am. Because I don't want to trouble you with my romantic issues because I spent so many years making my love your problem, and I don't want to do that again."
"... Oh, Ames," Sonic says, genuinely, looking at her with sympathizing pain in his eyes, and that's when Amy breaks.
She can't stop the tears from flowing down her face even if she wanted to.
"It wasn't fair to you, and it wasn't fair to me. You were constantly dealing with me being overly affectionate in a way that you could never reciprocate, and I was putting you on a pedestal because I let my warped idea of you take over our friendship." Amy lets out a small laugh. "... I bring a whole new meaning to rose-tinted glasses."
"So, I tried. I tried my best to get over you. I dated Dexter in an attempt to make you jealous, but also it eventually just turned into me trying my best to forget about all my fantasies and daydreams of dating you. And then it became a nightmare along the way, and I didn't know how, or why, and I just thought it was some sort of karmic retribution from the universe for everything I've ever done."
The tears feel hot and heavy on her cheeks; she knows she looks like a disaster in front of Sonic, but all she can think about is how much pain she's held in for so long. This emotional pain is starting to affect her physically, because just talking about it makes her feel like she's being stabbed in the chest. It hurts so bad, and it only makes her sob more.
But she's suddenly wrapped up in someone's arms. Through her blurry vision and her somewhat functioning thoughts, she knows that it's Sonic who has brought her into a tight hug.
"Sonic," she tries to say, but it comes out more like a small whimper.
"I'm here for you, Ames," Sonic says simply, genuinely, that it almost makes her want to cry even harder on his shoulder. "... Please don't forget that. The past is the past. I never hated you, and I never will. I care about you deeply, and I always will. Please never doubt that."
Amy just nods weakly, her voice completely gone at this point.
"I'll always be here for you. Anywhere, anytime."
Sonic squeezes her once more.
Amy's arms feel like noodles, but they come up and wrap around Sonic as well. She squeezes back.
Yeah. It's good to know that.
Because no matter what, Sonic will always be important to her, so it means the world to her to know that the sentiment is returned.