Amy Rose did not tell me what I did, but she was very happy with me when I visited her yesterday evening. Her affection caused me to fry another circuit, causing her to give me more attention and perpetuate my cycle of dysfunction... She eventually fell asleep in my arms. But I had to leave. My state of repair was unacceptable!



The first time I overloaded was understandable. She never said she loved me before and my systems could not handle it. But this time? I should've been prepared! She pressed herself against me, frequently kissed me, spoke of her love... I handled them all separately before, but the combination of all three shouldn't have caused me to malfunction the way I did.



Maybe Orbot was right; I was neglected and I sorely needed some upgrades. Amy Rose, while giving me affection, echoed my earlier sentiment in that I was 'extremely well crafted'. Considering the circumstances, I couldn't help but wonder if she was teasing me for not proving it...



I planned to visit her again, but not before upgrading my systems. Since it just required replacing some circuits and redirecting a few wires, I could do the work without my Master and needed only his approval. Learning I had blown two circuits already, he allowed the upgrade and I was able to do it with Orbot and Cubot's assistance.



I felt new. Amy Rose could caress me and sweetly speak to me all she wanted and I would continue to function at full capacity!



...



I planned to test this theory.



I ventured to Amy's house and let myself inside right before noon. I expected her to be ready to go somewhere, but instead, she groggily stepped out from her bedroom in only a nightgown. Her quills were puffed up in their natural state... Very cute. I liked when they were messy.



"Metal..." she yawned. "Were you with me the whole night?" she mumbled a little as she rubbed her eyes, though there was nothing serious behind her tone of voice.



"No, I left when you fell asleep... Did you just wake up?" I asked.



"Maybe..." She slowly hugged me. "I want to defeat Eggman more than ever now, because he keeps you from staying with me."



I did not have a good opportunity to tell her I willingly left because I wanted to upgrade myself. But... leaving her did cause me pain. I held her in turn and gently ran my claws through her quills.



"I want to spend time with you today," I said.



Her tail swished as she rubbed her head to mine. "You're mine all day~? You're not tired of me yet?" she teased.



"Yes... And never."



"My darling Metal," she said with an airy tone. After a moment, she let me go and went to her kitchen, putting a teapot on the stove. I loved how tiredly she walked around. I watched her and enjoyed our silence together.



I thought of how to phrase my desire to test my upgrades. "Rosy. I want you to give me as much affection as possible, physically and verbally."



The tiredness left her face. "What?!" Her cheeks reddened very quickly. "What are you asking?!"



I'd never explained it out loud before, which similarly embarrassed me. But... I'd been vulnerable with Amy many times at this point. "Like what you did yesterday... Another circuit got fried, so I went through some upgrades to better keep myself from overloading."



"Oh...!" She laughed, still with a blush. "Upgrades, huh?"



"Yes. Do your worst." I pointed aggressively to her. "Let it be known you are aiding your enemy."



"Ooh, so scary." She turned away from me and brought out a ceramic mug from one of her cabinets. "I think the pros outweigh the cons in this case."



I was pleased she felt that way.



"And what makes you so sure I can't short you out again?" She smirked at me.



I squinted at her. It was a challenge.



She poured herself some tea. "The first two times were so cute. Okay, admittedly, I was worried the first time. But the second time was pretty funny."



"Funny?"



"Yeah. I love that I affect you so much." She walked up to me, then gently rubbed the side of my head. "It happens to people like me, too. Just, it's not so visible."



"Your overloading is pretty visible," I mumbled. "You start yelling and stuttering."



"Th-that's not true!" she whined back. "Give an example!"



I decided to not just echo what she literally just said, because that would be too easy. Krsssht! "Rosy?! ... H-how do you remember that?! Is it recorded? Erase those recordings right now!" I played back a recording from the beach.



"I was just surprised!" she exclaimed, her face red again.



Krrrsht-- "Y-y-you... You... You should w-wash your hands! Here!" This recording was just a few days ago.



She tilted my head up as she examined me. "Where's that speaker? I'm covering it up." She rotated my head away from her.



I was amused, turning my head back to look at her. "... I don't know why you overloaded when I helped you in the kitchen. Was it my comment about being well crafted? You said that last night, too--" She clapped her hand over my face, even though she knew that would not stop my voice from projecting.



"Shhh-Shut...! Shut it," she squeaked, her face even more red. I lifted up the hand that was holding her mug of tea because she was about to spill it. "I was weak last night. You were too cute and I couldn't help myself."



"Weak...? I wouldn't describe you that way," I responded.



"I-I was... gushy! Vulnerable! You accidentally flirt with me and say romantic stuff all the time when you're being completely serious. It messes me up."



"Is this different than your initial reaction to my declaration of love?" She still needed to get used to me, maybe.



She sipped from her tea and quickly put it down on the nearby coffee table. "Okay, look. I'll repeat something you just said to me and you tell me how it sounds."



She walked back over to me and gazed at me lovingly. She cupped her hands against my cheeks. I was completely taken by her...



"Metal..."



There was not a more perfect way to hear my name. I loved her...



"I want you to give me as much physical affection as possible..."



...

...

...

Pop!



"HAH! How's that upgrade?"



...



"That... That wasn't... what I said!" I finally spoke. She sat on her couch, sipping her tea again while she crossed her legs over the coffee table. I stood behind the couch, staring at her. I was still overheating and needed to calm down. I was frustrated and-- and dumbfounded! I couldn't believe I overloaded again! Happy? I was happy.



"Uh, well, that's how it sounded," she said, sipping her tea again. "Now just imagine me doing that all the time, and that's what you do to me."



"I... I also spoke of verbal affection! And I didn't put emphasis on the physical!" I pointed at her. "You said it wrong. You are choosing to misrepresent my words to get a rise out of me."



"Misrepresenting your words just made you overload again, so you're welcome, you can improve yourself more."



...



She was right. I leaned over her to look at her directly. "Flirt with me and overload me again."



She coughed and hid her face a little more in the mug. "I-I'm... I can't force it!" Her face was completely red again. She moved my head away from her. "You're just gonna have to deal with things moving forward in a natural way!"



"... Right." I climbed over the couch and sat beside her. "I was thinking too much about self-improvement." I averted my eyes as I thought about it. I hoped she didn't think I was only wanting her love to better myself. "I will be more careful with my words."



"I like how you talk..." she muttered, her shoulders bunched up a little. "It's part of your charm."



I was charming? "... I'm not sure what to do, then," I admitted.



Amy smiled at me, putting the mug back on the coffee table. She curled her legs to the couch and pulled me into her hold. "Just keep being yourself," she sweetly said to me. "We're learning to handle our feelings... we'll have more opportunities to make each other malfunction, and we'll improve each other too."



Her words gave me a strange relief. I put my arms around her and sank into her hold. I liked to rest against her... "Have I improved you?" I asked.



"Oh yeah." Her heartbeat was calm... her body was warm. I didn't want to move. "You broadened my perspective by showing me how complicated you are. I've done some self reflecting of my own... how I want to live, you know?" I felt her sigh.



I didn't know how exactly to reply to her... but the silence between us was comfortable. After a long pause, I eventually said: "I am starting to understand you."



She traced one of her hands around the rim of my back spine. "You know, I think you're one of the few who can..."



I was happy... I buried my head against her. I wished I wasn't a machine for just a moment so I didn't have to worry about stabbing her with my nose. I at least found a comfortable position for us both.



...



"Did you think I was simple?" I asked.



She giggled at me. "Not like that. I just... I dunno. I thought 'evil' was your default state. But I think your actual default state is what you're doing right now. Just wanting to be loved..." She bent her legs to cuddle me closer to her, squeezing me against her. "Of course you're not simple. You're Rosy's favorite person."



...!



"You're so cute, and smart, and handsome," she cooed, rubbing her head against mine. "You're so much fun...~"



She was heavily praising me. I would do anything and everything she wanted. I loved her.



She slowly let go of me and let out another sigh, a little softer this time. "Metal, I was wondering... How did you fight me for so long? I know we've had some banter about it, but..."



I sat up to better look at her. "What do you mean?"



"You've loved me for a long time. How did you balance that with your duty to Eggman?"



I wished she went back to praising me. "I like fighting you, but I never wanted to actually cause you significant damage. I would try to incapacitate you instead. Exceptions being at my own loss of control..."



"... Huh, yeah, I guess you've never actually tried messing me up like some others," she mumbled, rubbing her chin in thought. "But..." She frowned. "I mean... I know we can't have a truce. You explained that well, and I really do understand. I just... If we have to fight each other, I don't know what to do."



"Rosy, if you damage me, I won't take it personally... Actually, it would impress me."



"Yeah, I guess you're weird that way," she mumbled.



"You've always been unrelenting and pugnacious. If you never wanted to fight, I would worry someone's replaced you."



She gave me a smile, though it lasted for only a few seconds. "That's true... But I don't want to damage you anymore. I've felt this face too much," she said. Her voice was full of sorrow and it made me ache. She caressed my head with her hands, then gently kissed me. "You're made to fight... I'm not."



"... I was made to surpass Sonic the Hedgehog," I corrected her. "You know this."



"Huh?"



"I wasn't made purely for combat. The main feature of my design was for speed." I averted my eyes. "My ability to fight comes from my desire to destroy him. It was a natural step in my evolution to surpass the Hedgehog eventually... Which gave-- and still gives-- mixed results."



"That's not my main point, but alright, smartass... Want to explain these?" She held up one of my hands and pressed her thumb against two of my claws.



I used the same claws to grace her chin. I enjoyed her blushing from my touch. I gave her a longer kiss.



"I continue to evolve. My claws may aid in combat, but I have a greater desire to use them to bring you closer to me."



... She was not breathing.



I put my head to her chest. Her heart rapidly beat.



I lifted my head to check her. She finally let out a breath... I was relieved. I thought she would say something, but she made a little sound instead. She briefly pushed me away from her, but then she pulled me back in and tucked her head against mine.



I was extremely pleased by her reaction. I thought I didn't have a good handle on flirting, but it was just being honest about my affections. She overloaded, so we were even. "You make me feel warm, Rosy," I said, feeling through her quills. "... I believe you will evolve to solve each problem you face. Our situation is... new. I understand your hesitation."



"Y...Yeah!" She huffed, gathering herself and sitting up straight; I sat up with her. She clasped my shoulders and gave a firm nod. Her behavior was weird yet endearing. "It's new to us, but it's a super popular trope in books and movies," she teased. "Lovers from opposite groups... a forbidden reunion... Ah, the drama!"



Her cheerful voice returned. I was happy. I was still thinking about what she said earlier, though... I was curious. "You said you're not made to fight... What are you made for, then?" I asked.



She smirked at me. "I don't think I was made for anything in particular, Metal."



"Oh." She did not seem very upset by the fact. I was glad her aimless existence did not bother her. "Your existence has meaning to me," I said.



She wrapped her arms back around me and let out one of her wistful sighs. "Your existence has meaning to me, too," she responded. "As far as I'm concerned, you're made to be right here with me, and I'm made to be right here with you."



I accepted my new purpose.



Even so... I didn't want her to let her guard down, either. We must continue to improve one another, even on opposite sides. She was helping me handle my overloading... but combat towards me was a significant issue for her and I similarly needed to control my focus. I thought of what I could do... The old base and her house were neutral grounds, but we hardly met anywhere else.



Hmm... Sage would be accompanying me soon. I doubted I would have any sort of freedom if she wanted to patrol with me, and my time with Amy Rose was both precious and limited. I decided to stop thinking about it.



"Oh! I really need to make some calls." Amy re-straightened her posture, her arms falling down mine. "Metal, how does a race sound for a date?"



"... Are you joking?"



"No!" She flicked my head. "With cars."



"Oh...! I will still win."



She laughed, smoothing her hand over where she flicked me. I enjoyed her affection. "We'll see about that. I'm thinking, because we've been to racing circuits before, you won't have to worry about any kind of disguise. You just might have to pretend we're making a bet with Eggman or something."



"... It could be an actual bet," I said. "That would leave less room for anyone knowing the true intentions of our gathering."



"What do you mean?"



"Dr. Eggman takes every chance to show himself as superior. You could challenge him directly, and I'll request that he sends me on his behalf." I nodded. "We could race for as long as you want."



Her eyes brightened. "Yeah! Though, I'm not sure how seriously he'd take me... Sonic is more his biggest rival," she mumbled. "I'll try to get Sonic to taunt Eggman for me and race in his place, so both of us are kind of just ambassadors."



I nodded again.



"Yay...! It'll be so fun! I'll see what I can do!" she beamed. "I'm looking forward to going to more places, as much as I love keeping you at home." I heard her tail thumping as she cuddled me. She was very happy...



When our moment concluded, Amy moved me away for real to ready herself for the day, even though it was already noon. She disappeared into her bathroom to shower and I found myself not knowing what to do.



I had screenshots and recordings of my memories embedded within me, though organic beings like Amy couldn't capture every moment without external tools. She did have quite a lot of photos, though. Along with all the frames around her house with that insufferable Hedgehog in them, there were quite a few containing her other allies. I saw a few of Rouge the Bat, some with Cream the Rabbit, and...



... There were a lot of Big the Cat. I had very few interactions with him, but he was just as insufferable as the rest. This purple cat was everywhere in her displayed memorabilia, outclassed by only Sonic the Hedgehog. In one photograph, she had her head pressed against his. They were awfully... close...



Should I be wary of him? That creature had evaded my sights before and I had very little data on him, even though I had some past combat data. I decided I would study Big the Cat at a later date.



Ugh. Still too many photos of the horrible Hedgehog; I didn't like how many she had. I thought of how he grabbed her arm the previous day. I was overheating in a different way! He didn't deserve to breathe the same air as Amy Rose, let alone touch her.



My understanding of Amy Rose herself increased, though I wasn't sure I would ever understand their companionship. Even though he made her so angry, made her feel worthless, she still saw him as worthy. He received her attention and her kindness.



... I guess... that was something I had in common with him. I was not worthy of her affections, but she decided that I was. But I was unworthy of receiving her affection in a way different than him-- I never made her feel worthless. I also made her angry in a much more fun way that resulted in her kissing me afterwards.



Amy eventually opened the bathroom door and let steam waft out to the ceiling. When I glanced through the doorway, she was fully dressed and drying her still-damp quills with a pink hair dryer. I decided to not tell her that my Master had the same model of hair dryer. Instead, I admired her. Every movement she made was graceful.



As soon as the hair dryer turned off, I pointed at her. "Rosy. I have a demand."



"A demand?" She raised a brow at me, then focused on her reflection in the bathroom mirror, brushing her quills down to their usual style. "What could be so intense to be a demand instead of a request?"



I crossed my arms. "I demand a photograph."



Her eyes widened, then she giggled and swayed herself a little. "Why? You want a photo of me to keep with you?"



"No, I want you to have a photo of you and me." I glanced at the rest of her house again. "I am aware you can't display it, so I am only demanding one. But it will help counteract the disturbing amount of propaganda you have in your home."



She laughed. "Propaganda?!"



"You know exactly what I'm talking about," I said lowly.



"Oh, someone's jealous again."



"I am not jealous. I am pointing out a concerning pattern, and the very least you can do is slightly correct it." I tapped one of my feet to get rid of my building energy. "There are nine alone in the main area of your house. Your bedroom has five more. And that's not including that... cork board, the one near your desk with all the loose photos on it," I emphasized by showing the length of the cork board with my hands.



"Yeah? How many on the cork board have Sonic?"



"Three. And one of them has four even smaller pictures on it, so actually six."



She giggled again. "Oh, you're definitely not jealous."



Her tone implied sarcasm, but I ignored it. "You are taking a photo."



"You're acting like a photo is some important relic. That's... so sweet, actually." Amy walked out of the bathroom and looked up at me, placing one of her hands on her hips. "But you can't push me around to get what you want." She tapped my nose. "You have to ask nicely."



"If you view my demand as an opportunity to bargain, then take at least three of the Sonic photos down. Then maybe I'll consider asking."



She grinned at me. "Mm... I don't think I will. How about, if you're honest with me about why the pictures bother you, I'll take three photos of us instead?"



I crossed my arms as I considered her counter-offer. "I am irritated that you have several photos that immortalize your companionship with him, but none that immortalize your love for me."



"So, you're saying that... you don't like that Sonic has something that--"



"Rosy."



She looked so innocent, but her manner was incredibly deceitful. She was annoying me... And yet, I was... impressed. And angry. Both! All! She was making me feel a lot of things. I didn't like her poking holes in my logic and I didn't want to admit there were holes at all.



She graced one of her fingers up my chin. "I love that you still use my nickname even though you're mad~"



"The more you irritate me, the more intense your failure on the racetrack will be."



Amy tilted her head as she watched me. Her gaze made it hard for me to stay irritated. She had a terrifying grip on my emotions. "Oh, Metal... You know how special you are to me, so you don't need to feel that way. You're already my favorite, remember?" Her tone was sweet. I could not falter.



"I'm well aware," I replied, squinting. "But the amount of photos you have imply he's... more! He is not your boyfriend," I growled out, pointing at her again. I was the boyfriend, not him. After Belle brought up the question the last time I saw her, I realized Amy and I did many activities related to being a boyfriend and girlfriend. The conclusion was natural and expected.



She briefly had a surprised stare, but then she smiled again, her cheeks flushed. "Do I have a boyfriend?" she asked.



"Yes! You do!"



"Weird. No one's asked to be one yet," she hummed in such a nonchalant manner. Agh!!! I was getting sick of technicalities!



I took a minute to calm down. She giggled at me... Fine, she won. I held out one of my hands so that she could place hers on it. I gestured forward when she took a little while to get what I wanted.



"Yes?" she asked after placing her hand with mine.



"I love you. Will you let me be your boyfriend?"



Her face reddened more, her grin wide. "Yes... Of course."



"... Good. You are my girlfriend."



"And I'm proud of it. I love you too..." She leaned over and softly kissed me.



Warm. Our relationship did not actually change, but I liked that we had an additional way to describe our connection.



"Um..." She kept her grip on my hand, but lowered our arms down. She took a little step closer to me.



For a second, she looked serious. I was suddenly concerned.



"I was just messing with you about the photos, and even if you never asked about being my boyfriend, I would still be really happy. But... becoming someone's girlfriend was a silly dream I've always had, so..." She twirled the quills near her face, shyly looking away. "You asking means a lot to me..."



...



I...



I forgot what I was mad about. I genuinely forgot. I actively tried to pull up the data and nothing was coming up.



"I would love to take some pictures with my boyfriend," she said, cheerful. There was a different kind of warmth in her eyes I hadn't seen yet. I was doing my best to not overload. Not again. "I'll keep one on me at all times, just like you with your letter."



"That..." I was still processing a little bit. "... Would not be... compromising?"



"I don't get scanned and searched like you do," she said with a smirk. Fair point. She tugged me by the hand as she guided me to another part of the house. "Okay! I know where to take the first picture!" she beamed.



Amy took far more than three pictures, and with more than one type of camera... I didn't expect her to take so many. She took some on a camera that would need its photos developed first, then another that printed out smaller pictures immediately.



I posed or looked however she asked me to, while her poses were naturally expressive. She ambushed me in one of them... the picture had my eyes as static when she kissed me, and despite it being the least flattering one, she said it was her favorite. The photos themselves made her giddy... I realized she might have wanted them for a while.



Balance had been restored. Though I wish she did take down all those pictures of the insufferable Hedgehog, she now had several of me, and the way she looked at them wasn't unlike the way she looked at my flowers. I accepted the compromise.