Work Text:
After the destruction of the HQ of the Restoration, Commander Jewel gathered all the people in a new, smaller building. It took a while to make it comfortable enough to welcome everybody, to prepare a dormitory for the displaced ones, a refectory, a new HQ.
Amy, Jewel, the Chaotix, Tails and Belle worked hard for weeks to give a new Restoration to everybody after Clutch's defeat.
That evening they were celebrating the inauguration of the new building. Everybody except Amy.
Amy was on the balcony, just outside the room they adjusted as refectory and cafeteria. She could hear people laughing and celebrating from inside the room, the sound of the CDs Vector brought for the inauguration. Though, she didn't feel in the mood for celebrating.
She just felt tired.
She had been feeling that for weeks. Months. Always tense, always worried, her mind always busy with work and thoughts about the people they lost. Always worried about where Sonic was, if he was safe... She couldn't let go even on that festive occasion. It would have been bad to ruin the mood to everybody, isolating herself felt the right thing to do in that moment.
“What are you doing here?”
A familiar voice startled her.
“Shadow?” She turned to meet his red eyes. “I wasn't hoping to see you this evening...”
“You mean that I'm not fit for social events?”
“I...” She stammered “I didn't mean it like that”
“You are not wrong.” The black hedgehog moved closer to her and placed his hands on the railing. “What are you doing here? I thought you would have been busy dancing or singing, or both.”
Amy giggled. “Yeah, normally I would do that.” She sighed. “I... I don't feel like it. Too much had happened. This was Jewel's idea. And it's good, really, everybody needed a break. I just... don't feel in the right mood.”
“I see.” Shadow simply replied. He turned his head to look inside. Sonic was there too, joking with Tails and Knuckles. “I thought it was about him.”
Amy suddenly blushed. Even Shadow noticed?? How could she deny that? She wasn't very good at hiding her feelings, never been her thing. She was direct, sincere, affectionate, how could she hide something so big and important?
“Ehhh!! I don't know what you mean!” She covered her face and turned her face away from Shadow, trying to hide her warmer and pink cheeks.
“I'm not stupid.” He said. “Or deaf.”
“Uff.” Amy sighed again. “There's no way to hide something like that, is not?”
“Not from me, at least.”
She took a long breath. “Look, it's not what you think. I have had so much on my mind that I feel so exhausted and... it pains me because I find myself wishing for his company.” Amy paused. “I shouldn't wish for that.”
“From what I know, one cannot control wishes.”
“I shouldn't wish or expect that.” She repeated in a colder tone. “I'm not his... person. I shouldn't expect him to change his mind about me. It's fine.” Her voice sounded broken. “I guess it's fine. The fact that he doesn't love me back doesn't make me a less lovable person. We just want different things.”
Shadow's ears dropped, almost as her broken voice and her soft tone touched him. “Did he tell you? These things?”
“No, of course not. We haven't talked about it. Though... I have reasons to believe it.”
Shadow didn't say anything and waited for her to keep talking.
“Sonic have rejected me so many times during the years... I know we were different back then, but I realize I was really annoying to him. I treasure our friendship now and he still is really dear to me, I think this is for the best. We get to see each other, sometimes we hang out with the guys, it's probably what he likes the most.”
Shadow mused on her words. “But it's not what you want.” He added, in a soft tone.
“Well, yeah, but it's fine. It will be fine in time.”
Shadow nodded and turned his back against the railing and looked inside the room. “I have often wondered what you found in that faker.”
“Hey, you mean you wondered about my sentimental life? How sweet of you, bestie!” She teased.
“Tsk, okay, you won this one.”
She smiled and sighed. “Sonic,,, meant everything for me. When I was younger he gave me strength and motivation to train, to become stronger, to become faster, to be part of his adventure. I kinda miss that. I know people needs me at the Restoration but there are days when I feel I'm rotting in my office, days when I only want to go outside and have a good run, or to spend time for myself.”
A gust of wind made her shiver and Amy hugged her own arms to cover herself. Shadow saw that and then disappeared.
“Shadow?”
He was just gone, just like that. Amy turned around, confused, and then he reappeared with a white woolen jacket in his hands. “Found it in your office.”
“Thanks...” Amy took the jacket from his hands. “Thought I closed my office's door.”
“You probably did. I chaos controlled myself directly inside your office, didn't check for the door.”
Amy smiled and wore the jacket. “Thank you Shadow, you are so caring.”
Time passed with the two hedgehog staying silent, just looking at the night sky. Then, Shadow started to talk. “I think you're wrong.”
“Mhm, about what?”
“About the strength you say Sonic gave you. That strength, that motivation didn't come from him. It came from you, you already were capable of all that. Everything you did you did it on yourself. Sonic saved you, as you told me, but you saved so many people working here. That work is all on you. I think it came from you.” He paused “Don't give credit to someone else for what you did yourself. You are stronger than you think.”
Amy smiled softly and moved her hand to Shadow's arm. “Shadow... that's so touching from you.” He quickly moved away from her fingers, almost as she could burn him.
“Don't thank me. I just don't accept that Sonic gets credit for nothing. He is just a goofball, he likes being treated as a hero.” His expression hardened.
“And you don't?”
“No, I don't. I'm not a hero.”
Amy moved away from him and turned her back to the railing too. “I realize it's difficult to understand. Nobody does... to love someone for so long, without being loved back... it's stupid, I know. It's the reason why everybody told me to move on. I really should go...” She took a step to move back inside the cafeteria.
At those word Shadow's expression changed. He opened his eyes wide and turned to her, grabbing her arm. “No, I didn't mean that!”
Amy looked confused, again, at the sudden change of tone and expression. “About what?”
“About your... feelings. It's not stupid.”
“Oh.”
“It's not stupid.” He repeated. “I felt that too, about my feelings for Maria. Even if they are not of the same romantic nature, I have often thought about how hard it is to treasure her memory, to treasure my friendship for her even after she was gone. It's not stupid. It takes true courage and inner strength to do that. It's hard, unsatisfying, and sad. I well know all of these feelings.” He left her arm. “I understand that and most importantly I understand you. You're brave, Amy Rose.”
Amy smiled warmly at him and quickly threw her arms at his neck.
“W-What are you doing?” He stammered.
“You really thought you could say all of these things without expecting at least a hug???”
“Well, yes?? We were talking, not hugging! Let me go this instant!” He protested.
Amy giggled. “I'm not letting go!”
“Heeeeyyy!” Sonic appeared in the frame of the balcony. “Looks like there's a private party here. Am I interrupting something?”
“No, you may leave now.” Shadow replied, putting his firm hand on Amy's shoulder to gently push her back.
Sonic grinned. “I just wanted to steal your lady just for a bit, something is missing without her.”
“Let's get inside, it's getting chilly here.” Amy locked her eyes in Shadow's red ones. “You too Shadow. Let me offer you a cup of coffee.”
Inside the cafeteria, while Amy was pouring coffee to bring Shadow, a blue bur appeared by her shoulder.
“Not to be nosy, but why were you hugging Shadow?” Sonic asked. “He doesn't hit me as a huggable guy.”
Amy giggled. “None of your business, Sonic”