"Just A Feeling"

This present was so much better than the abysmal, desolate future he hailed from. Silver marveled at all of the sights, golden eyes wide with wonder and awe. The sky was an endless sea of beautiful blue, nothing like the constant stormy grays and depressing blacks it was in that destructive future. And the air was so crisp and clean! He couldn't help but greedily inhale it, to the point where he nearly choked on his breath, but he didn't care.

He wasn't used to air this fresh and clean, not smoggy and humid and heavy with poisonous gases and ash and heated smoke from fire that refused to completely die out. Memories of burning, crumbling buildings and the ceaseless shrieking of both the dying and living made his eyes wet and heart heavy, but he pushed away such morbid thoughts. That wasn't his or Blaze's future any longer.

Once his emotions were back under control, he focused his attention back to the present, smiling at the joyful shrieks of little children as they ran around, playing amongst themselves under the watchful eyes of their parents. He allowed the delicious smells from the concession stands to tickle his nostrils; various, mouthwatering aromas of an assortment of snacks, from buttery popcorn to cheesy nachos, lingered in the air, and his stomach rumbled in response.

There were prizes of all kinds, stuffed animals and other goodies, to be won, and rides, from the large Ferris wheel to spinning teacups, to be ridden. He had already tried his luck at winning something; he managed to win a stuffed hero chao and a teddy bear after playing a game of darts, and he rode as many rides as he dared earlier, his adrenaline still rushing from it all.

The sun was shining once more, no longer hidden amongst white clouds, and the breeze was a pleasant relief in this sweltering summer heat, although Silver was used to a heat whose intensity made this one look like winter time. He had lived in a time where a chunk of the world was literally on fire; he had no choice but to adapt or die. There was no in between.

"Silver!" His vision was suddenly filled with pink, and Amy was now standing before him, grinning happily. She wore her quills in a messy bun, her eyes shimmering like jade stones in the light of the sun. She looked beautiful in her white sundress, like an angel in disguise, and Silver's cheeks were as rosy as her fur at such a thought. Butterflies fluttered around in his stomach as he stared at her, his heart racing, his breath quickening.

"I was wondering what took you so long," Silver responded, taking the bright pink cotton candy she offered to him without hesitation. He eyed it curiously, taking in its fluffiness, how it mirrored a pink colored cloud instead of a snack. He did wonder how it tasted, having always wanted to try one, and what better time to try it than at a carnival?

Amy huffed, an irritated look on her face as she led them to a more secluded, quiet area, away from all the hustle and bustle and excitement. They sat down together at a small table nestled under the cool shade of a tree, and Silver sighed in relief. The glare of the sun was less harsh here than it was in the midst of everything. His feet had ached from all the walking they did, and he was relieved to be sitting down and resting for the moment.

"Sorry about that. The line was longer than I expected, and it took me forever to grab these for us," she explained, gesturing to their cotton candies. Hers was pink like his, and both matched the color of her fur almost perfectly. Her fur was just a shade or so darker.

"I understand. Thank you for getting me one. I've always wanted to try one." At that, Amy's visage brightened considerable, excitement swimming in her eyes as she stared at him. He felt flustered, being the recipient of such unabashed joy, and he hated that he was blushing again, something he did a lot whenever he was in this bubbly young woman's presence.

"Well, now's your chance! I know you'll love it!" With her warm encouragement and equally warm smile, Silver did, pulling off some of the top part of it and bringing it to his mouth. As soon as the sugary taste touched his tongue, he was hooked. He greedily shoved more into his mouth, chasing after that sweet, delectable tang that had his taste buds exploding.

Amy was watching him in amused silence, her smile softening the more she stared at him. He was so animated, licking and smacking his lips, his eyes closed in blissful wonder. She had never saw anyone enjoy something as simple as cotton candy with such fervor, but when she thought about the world he came from, of course he would appreciate the things the rest of them sometimes took for granted.

She remembered how hard he smiled when he first saw a waterfall, how he jumped headfirst into the cool, refreshing water without hesitation, laughing wildly as soon as his head was above the surface. Or how he reacted when he saw an actual working television set. He was glued to that screen for hours, binge watching every show that caught his interest. It was adorable, but made her heart ache at the same time.

A guy as wonderful and kindhearted as Silver deserved to be happy, to see every single wonder this world had to offer, and she found herself wanting to be the one to show it to him, to be there with him every step of the way. Such thoughts made her shake her head in an effort to rid her mind of them, but they stubbornly refused to budge.

She couldn't help but be drawn to him. He listened to what she said and offered his honest, thoughtful opinion. He enjoyed hanging out with her, often seeking her out for her company if he couldn't immediately find her. Instead of running away from her, it was like he was always running towards her, and it didn't fail to make her swoon. And that wasn't a jab at Sonic. The crush she had on him fizzled out on its own since it was going nowhere, and they were better friends now.

That meant she was free to like whoever struck her fancy, and she found her heart gravitating towards Silver more and more with each passing day.

"Thank you for the cotton candy, Amy. It was even better than I imagined!" His exuberance was infectious, and she couldn't help but smile along with him. He seemed to have that effect on her, rarely failing to make her smile and laugh and feel loved.

"You're welcome, Silver! You want to go on a few more rides before calling it quits?" She stood up, holding her hand out to him, her skin tingling when their hands touched. It was as if Eros shot her with his arrow because she couldn't fight what she was feeling. The heart wanted what it wanted, and hers was Silver's for the taking.

"I'd like that a lot." Little did she know, his thoughts mirrored hers.