Till Death Do Us Part

Feelings

Amy wasn't quite sure yet how to approach Shadow with her feelings, but she would figure it out eventually. For the time being, Shadow and Amy just got together for coffee, or a simple lunch during her break (occasionally at his apartment). As usual, Amy did most of the talking; Shadow was a good listener when they got together. Anytime they were apart, Amy kept daydreaming about him. Sometimes, at night she would text him a lot to tell him about her day. Typically Shadow wouldn't respond that night; he would follow-up with a morning text instead. In the next couple of days, Amy and Cream got together while Amy helped her stock the boutique. Ever since she and Ciara talked about Shadow, Amy felt guilty that she didn't open up to her proclaimed sister. To her surprise, Cream handled it very well. Like many others, they wanted Amy happy. 

"Have you talked to him, yet?" Cream hung up another shirt, glancing towards her best friend. Amy's eyes fell to the floor.

"...I've talked to him, yeah. But, not how I felt." Amy exhaled, neatly folding a shirt and bagging it up for the online orders that had been sent out earlier that day. "I want to talk to the kids about this..." Amy sat on the stool nearby, "my Lily girl won't handle this well. I'm not sure how Mach will do."

Cream walked around her store, gathering her thoughts while she browsed through the isle. "Just tell them how you feel about Shadow, and then invite him over for dinner? I'm assuming he hadn't met them?" Cream encouraged her friend, as she walked up beside her.

Well, there was that one occasion.  Otherwise, they hadn't really got to know Shadow. They only remember a few things that their dad has told them about Shadow before. "It was so much easier with Sonic." Amy laughed sheepishly, "all I did was chased him down and told him everyday how I felt about him."

Cream grinned back at her. "Oh, yeah, I remember." 

After a few hours, the pair finished up everything to be ready for in the morning. Cream locked up, and they went out to have a late dinner together. It was a nice change for once to spend time with one of the girls. Close to 10 that evening, they made their way home. Tails was at her house 
"babysitting", when she opened the door she found Tails had fallen asleep on the couch, while there was a movie rolling. Deeper in the living room, she saw the kids resting on the floor. Leftover popcorn in a bowl infront of the pair. She helped them to their beds, and then dimmed the lights in the living room, not trying to disturb the twin-tailed fox; tiptoeing up the stairs.

-

In the days to follow, Amy called Shadow to meet up at the cafe. He walked up just as Amy stepped outside the cafe, startling her slightly. He likes to do that. Amy sighed, and locked up. "Evening." She grinned back at him, walking down the sidewalk. 

"I wanted to talk..." Amy blushed, looking away when he caught up to her. His silence meant he was waiting for her to continue. Chaos, she was struggling to gather her words. She stopped at the curb at the crosswalk. He raised a brow. Amy stumbled with her words for what seemed like an eternity. It was so unusual for her. "I like spending time with you." She blurted out finally. Shadow's silence was killing her inside. He did feel the same way, right? Otherwise, why would he waste time having coffee, and lunch with her. "What if we... took it a step further?" Her cheeks got hotter when their gazes met. "Y'know ...more than just friends? " It was Shadow's turn to look away. If he was blushing, Amy couldn't tell. "I-I think I'm ready for this whole dating thing, now." Amy laughed nervously, trying to keep the conversation going. They crossed the street, in silence. She could now see her house in the distance, "if you don't feel the same way, I'll understand, Shadow. I... just don't-" Amy paused when the dark hedgehog inched closer, and cupped her cheeks in his hands, and met his gaze making her go silent.