"Rosy..."



I woke up to Metal's voice. Ahh... I felt so comfortable. His hand graced one of my cheeks and caused me to open my eyes. He was looking at me while standing beside my bed, gaze as soft as his voice. I smiled and put my hand on his.



"Good morning... Today is your birthday. I am incredibly grateful for your existence."



"Awwwh...!! Metal...~" I grinned as I watched him. "Why aren't you in bed with me?" I asked with a pout.



"I brought you breakfast is why." He gestured to a freshly made meal on the nightstand beside me... And it was one of my favorite breakfast foods!! I sat up and let him put a tray of food in my lap.



"Ahhh! It looks amazing!"



He got back in bed from the other side. Even better! "Enjoy, my Rosy," he said as he put an arm around me. "You may rest for two hours. After that, though, I am taking you on a date."



I excitedly wiggled. "Ooh, what do you have in store for me?" I playfully asked.



He played with my quills. "You'll have to find out."



I kissed him, then turned back to my food... Okay, I kissed him again. I'd kiss him more after I was done eating, so I made myself dig in.



Gah!! It was delicious!! This was already the best birthday ever. I enjoyed my food and enjoyed Metal's hold. The second I finished, I moved the tray back to the nightstand and then turned towards Metal to snuggle myself against him.



"It's so nice of you to give me a few hours... I just want to be here with you," I said with a whimsical sigh. I loved that I could feel the very slight vibrations of his machinery even in his Neo form. It was like his version of a heartbeat... I was soothed to know he was alive and well.



"I may have factored that in," he said, lifting his nose in the air. I was happy he shifted down so I could lay down a bit more.



"I'm gonna take full advantage, then," I replied, then I smooched him on the muzzle. I put both my hands on his cheeks and kissed him again, again... Ahh, I just loved him so much...! "If this was all we did today, this would still be my favorite birthday!"



He threw one of his legs over me and tucked me more against him, returning each kiss. "There is still more for you, my Rosy. And more for me..." He angled my head up and kissed me again. I was gonna melt right there!



I gave him tons of affection while we cuddled each other, and since I was feeling lazy, I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feeling. I dozed off while one of his hands stroked the back of my head...



...



I snorted awake and rubbed my eyes. I was still tangled up in Metal's hold, and he was so warm and comfy... I was in quite a dilemma. There was a whole day for us to spend together, but getting ready required me to pry myself off of him. I let out a more dramatic sigh, making him give a sound I could only assume was from amusement.



"Are you having trouble leaving me, Rosy?" he asked.



"Maybe..." I snuggled against him more. "It's so over for me when winter hits-- Wah!" He scooped me up and got out of bed. I giggled, my tail wagging like crazy.



I kissed him an obnoxious amount of times before I got out of his hold. From there, I decided to shower and spent that time anticipating what Metal had in store for me. The hot water refreshed me and woke me up some more--



I screamed. I saw something right outside my shower, only to realize it was Nova staring at me! Metal abruptly opened the door and slammed it against the wall, an intense glare on his face.



"J-just Nova! It's just Nova!" I stammered. "They surprised me!"



"Oh." Metal relaxed. I hid behind the shower curtains, but I heard him walk forward. "I didn't go back to the garden after I had to leave last night. Apologies."



"Chao!"



"No. You are respecting her privacy," Metal said in a commanding tone. He walked out and shut the door behind him. I peeked out the curtain and saw I was alone again... I laughed.



I loved Metal in my house and I didn't mind little Nova at all either. My home felt more full and lively... There was something comforting about waking up to Metal or going home to see him there. Things about dating I didn't even think about before, but I really, really liked it...



I took my time getting ready after my shower. I wanted to be in the cutest dress ever, but the problem was that there were a lot of cutest dresses ever... Hmm... I went for something a little more fancy than my usual, still a short poofy and red dress but with more details and some really cute lace. I threw on some stockings and pumps in case we were doing a lot of walking. I styled my quills, put my favorite headband on, then grabbed a matching purse for everything other than my hammer. When I was done, I went to the living room to interrupt the playfight Metal and Nova were having.



Metal lifted up his head to look at me while holding Nova upside down. Nova was giggling, then looked at me too with their usual blank yet affectionate stare. Metal put them down, then walked over to me, very clearly admiring me. I blushed and laced my fingers with his as he approached.



"You are very beautiful," he said in a soft tone.



"Thank you~"



"Are you ready to go?" He tilted his head, still looking at me. I posed a little and turned my head away, feeling kinda shy. I loved his gaze. He let out a grunt. "Actually... We should take Nova back first."



"Oh, yeah. Did you have fun spending the night, Nova?" I cheerfully asked them. Nova fluttered up and sat on top of Metal's head. They loudly purred and cleaned their face. I chuckled. "Yeah, I'm ready to go."



Metal guided me to the back door, then picked up Nova to put in my arms. He lifted me up with one arm and opened the door, quickly shut it behind us, then rocketed off into the air.



Hahahah! It's been a little while since he flew me around... Actually, I don't think I've been carried by him in this form! I held on tightly to Nova and enjoyed the wind whipping against my face. We made a brief stop to put Nova back in the base, and then took off again. Admittedly, I was kinda sad I didn't get to see Metal's flower garden again. I hoped getting to be in there wasn't really a one-time exception...



But that also meant I had no idea where he was taking me. We stayed out of the city but followed the roads... There was a beach town we were approaching. Were we going to have another beach date? I wasn't exactly dressed for walking in the sand, and he probably would've said something... Gah! I ran out of guesses.



Metal landed outside of town and shifted into his organic form. From there, he held my hand and guided me into the town. "We're almost there," he said. "Just a short walk."



"What are you up to, cutie?" I asked, playfully poking his muzzle.



He turned his head up and away from me. "You will find out, as I said."



As we went on top of a hill, I caught sight of this huge building with a massive glass dome above it. I could see parts of an enormous tree inside... We approached that building specifically. I saw the name of where we were and looked at him with wide eyes.



"We're going to some botanical gardens?" I asked.



"Yes."



I... That...



That was such a cute date idea!!!



"Why are you looking at me that way?" he asked, blushing.



"I'm overwhelmed!" I replied. My heart was beating out of my chest. I was surprised I hadn't thought of going to a place like this...! "This'll be so much fun," I said-- my voice accidentally cracked.



He chuckled. "I think so, too. The flowers won't be as pretty as mine, but... It's not often you can see so many kinds."



"I love you so much," I squeaked. My face was on fire.



He grinned at me. "We aren't even inside yet."



"Still!"



His look softened. "I love you too, Rosy."



We walked to the entrance and already everything was so beautiful, our surroundings bathed in natural light. I caught the aroma of plants all around, not only a bunch of flowers, but also lively and vibrant trees. We stopped at the front booth to enter the rest of the gardens. I went in my purse to bring out some money--



Metal handed two tickets to the employee there; they scanned them and handed them back with a smile. I stared in shock, but let Metal tug me along to go deeper inside.



"You had tickets...?"



"I didn't steal them," he said, slightly grumpy. "And I'm not going to let you pay for a date meant to be a surprise."



"Aw...! You didn't have to do that," I replied still with a blush. I wondered how he got them... did he just straight up ask Eggman for money? Maybe sold something? I didn't ask, I was just happy he wanted to do something nice for me. "Thank you! Can I see the tickets?" I asked cheerfully. He handed them over to me so I could get a better look.



Ahhh! I thought of putting these on my cork board at home... I stuck them into my purse for safe-keeping. I grabbed a little paper map and checked where we should go first.



"Have you been here before?" asked Metal.



"No, this is my first time! Ah, screw it." I put the map back from where I got it. "Let's see what's around!" I ended up dragging him along instead, going towards the first area that looked interesting.



We went through a man-made trail out into the giant dome area I saw before. We saw tons of local plants... Surprisingly, I haven't even seen a lot of them! I was so fascinated at how many plants there were and how rare they could be. The gardens doubled as a wildlife sanctuary, tons and tons of butterflies fluttering around and settling at bushes of flowers. Birds fluttered from tree to tree, singing their beautiful songs. The lighting was so lively and vivid that it felt like a fairytale.



Metal's focus was more on me than on the trail. When I looked back at him, he was already smiling. I playfully shoved him.



"You bought yourself a ticket too, you should look at the flowers!" I teased.



"Is your last name not Rose?"



Sm...Smooth...!!



I shoved him again, then I covered my overheated face and let out a pathetic whine. I could not look at him after he said something like that!!!



He hummed in thought. "Seems I can make you overload without innuendo," he said.



"Sh...shut it! Shut your mouth!" I stammered.



He laughed and put one of his arms around me. My tail would not quit. He gently lifted my head up and gave me the cutest gaze ever and ahhhh I didn't know what to do with myself! "Don't mind me, Rosy. I have the most fun watching you. I never found the world beautiful like you do, but I think I'm starting to understand by how you look at it."



"W...We've..." My voice shook and I averted my eyes. "We've j-just been here for like... ten minutes...!!"



"What does that have to do with anything?" he asked, raising a brow.



"S-save it! Save the super romantic stuff for later!" I said in a hushed voice. I think I was breathing out steam at this point. "O-or at least... wait until we're like... in a s-super secluded spot...!" Even worse, I knew what he was about to say:



"I'm just being honest, Rosy," he said.



Gah!!! I was right!!! I should've dressed for warmer weather! I was going to explode!



He chuckled at me. He needed to stop that right now. We stopped walking for a brief moment... He leaned over and softly kissed me. I was gonna pass out. "You're telling me to wait, but your eyes say the opposite." He rubbed under my chin. "You should be honest too, Rosy."



I took in a breath. "This is the best date ever and I think I'm gonna die because you're so cute and hot I can't STAND IT," I said really, really quickly.



He grinned at me. "What was that? Didn't catch what you said."



"Shut-- Yes you did!" I kept walking and broke from his hold, but I grabbed his hand so he would keep following me. I looked at the plants and read the plaques about each one, but my mind kept going back to what he said about understanding the beauty of the world through me... Who just casually says that?! That was the sweetest thing I ever heard!



Well, Metal's been super sweet for no reason at all before... It's just how he was. I did love how direct he was with me; he was rarely embarrassed. Though, he didn't want to tell me where he put the picture of me in the gown, hehe. He was so funny, both bold and shy... To be fair, I was the same way.



We approached a bench surrounded by the prettiest rose bushes. "Ooh! Ooh! Take a picture of me," I said excitedly, shuffling out a camera from my purse. I remembered to grab it this time, along with my phone. I handed it to him, then scrambled over to the bench and sat down. I took a minute to fix my dress and do a cute pose.



Metal stepped a little closer to me and carefully aimed the camera. "Ready?" he asked.



"Yes~" I gave my best smile as he snapped a couple of pictures. Ahh! I was so happy. "Now you come over here!"



He walked over and curiously looked at me. I moved a little to the side and patted the spot beside me, so he sat down and joined me. I took the camera back, then rummaged for my phone.



"I can save some pictures of you on my phone since you have a disguise now," I said cheerfully. "Okay, let's get really close..." I pressed my side against him and bumped our heads together. When I held the phone's camera up, his reflection looked very confused! I tapped where the camera was. "Look right here," I said.



"Oh." He looked properly at the camera. I giggled.



"Smile!" I beamed. He leaned against me and gave the cutest smile ever. I took a billion pictures. I kissed him in one of them, catching him by surprise. Naturally, that was my favorite one. I excitedly tapped my feet on the ground as I went through the photos I took. "Oh, these are perfect. Ahh! We have to find more spots to take pictures at."



"Whatever you want, my Rosy," he happily replied. I jumped up and and took his hand again, resuming our walk.



We eventually came to a huge wooden bridge with a river under it. I could see colorful fish moving down the streams. There were plaques about them, too! In the distance was a short waterfall, filling the air with a pleasant white noise. I took a deep breath and enjoyed the breeze.



... Hmm.



"Metal?" I asked. "When's your birthday?"



He averted his eyes. "That's not important."



"Yes it is. I want to know." I playfully nudged him. "Don't worry, I won't throw a crazy party for you or anything."



"I don't really want to tell you," he said, looking a bit solemn. "Plus, it's nothing I care about. I went online one day and that was it. I've never been a baby and can't technically age, so it's not like it's a significant milestone for me to grow older."



"I took a first breath and that was it!" I huffed. "You grew up like everyone else... That being said, you're being weirdly difficult about something that doesn't matter to you."



"It doesn't matter to me, but I think it would give you a specific response. I want to focus on you today."



I thought for a while. "Do you have the same birthday as Sonic or something?"



He rolled his eyes. "No. Stop guessing."



I grumbled to myself a little. We left the bridge and continued to hold hands. We were walking up to the huge tree I saw from the outside, and wow, it was ginormous. I felt a little guilty that my first thought was how I wanted to climb it... I doubted we were allowed to do that!



Hehe... Maybe the next time we go to his base, we can make out in one of the trees outside... I loved feeling so in sync with him.



...



Wait.



"Oh my God. Metal, is today your birthday?"



He didn't answer me and he refused to look at me. That told me all I needed to know.



"We have the same birthday?! Why didn't you tell me?!" I exclaimed. "I feel so bad!"



"That's why," he huffed, his gaze flicking back to me. "I don't want you to feel bad. This day is significant to me because you were brought into this world. I am grateful to exist alongside you, but I don't care what day I came to be."



"Well, I care!! I want to do something special for you, too!" I said, frowning.



He shook his head. "Spending time together is as great of a gift to me as it is to you," he replied.



My face felt hot again. "W-well...!"



"Every day I'm with you is special. So... Don't feel bad."



If he said one more thing I seriously was going to drag him into the next bush we walked past and kiss him everywhere. I was speechless in the moment... I just... Wow. There had to be something in the cards about us having the same birthday and going through everything we've experienced.



I tightened my hold on his hand and thought to myself for a moment. "You're my favorite," I mumbled.



He grinned at me. "You are mine, too."



We went up to the giant tree and I took a bunch more pictures, some with my phone, some with the camera I brought. I took some pictures of Metal when he got distracted by flowers. His expression was so calm as he looked at them. He was honestly gorgeous...



Coming here made me want to explore other forests with him with no one else around. I wanted to see him examine flowers as Neo, his favorite form... my favorite, too. He became so much more cheerful ever since he got to express himself more.



I took the perfect picture. A butterfly landed on his top section of quills and he didn't seem to notice. I was giggling, which was how he realized I was taking pictures of him.



"What?" he asked, squinting. "You will not save unflattering pictures of me."



"I'm not! You have a new friend, that's all." I walked over to show him the picture. As soon as he saw it, he rapidly shook his head. I laughed. "It's already gone!"



"That picture is unflattering," he said. "Delete it."



"Nope, I love it." I grinned as I looked at it.



He eventually sighed, watching me instead. When I glanced back up at him, his face was red. "I suppose it's fine..." He quietly spoke.



I had so much fun with him. We talked about anything on our minds or we absorbed the quiet. There weren't a lot of people around, so we could really just enjoy that time together.



We found a really secluded corner that we were allowed to walk to, which meant it was totally over for Metal. We sat down at a particularly hidden bench, looked at the bushes and trees surrounding us... I put my arms around him and made my move. I gave him a full, serious kiss... When our mouths parted, he looked as red as my dress. I pressed myself against him and went for another.



I couldn't stop messing with him. We got into it and he became much more enthusiastic when he caught on about the location's privacy. Since this wasn't any sort of amusement park ride, I could give myself the opportunity to calm down instead of having to shove him off of me. Ahh!! But was I ever gonna calm down? I loved the way he felt with me...



... I grabbed my phone while kissing him and tried to aim the camera at us without me having to look at it. I made an aggravated groan when my phone slipped a little. He broke our kiss and gave me both a heated and confused stare. "What are you doing?" he asked.



"N... Nothing..." I glanced at my phone to fix it in my hand. He noticed, then his face reddened even more.



"You're trying to take more pictures?!"



"I-it's a memory! A precious memory!" I stammered back. "I haven't taken a picture of us seriously kissing..."



He looked just as flustered as I was. "Well... Fine... You want a photo?" He put one of his hands behind my head and gave me a look that was gonna make me explode.



He deeply kissed me, holding my head to keep me there. I desperately tapped my phone in hopes I was taking pictures. I let out a long sigh through my nose and let my phone slip out of my hand. I clutched back onto him. He was alerted by the clatter of my phone, but I didn't care.



"Metal..." His name just kinda slipped out. The way I called for him must have messed him up, because he looked like a disaster. He couldn't look at me and refused to even when I moved his head. He lowered his gaze, still not meeting mine, deep in thought.



He finally looked at me, blush still as intense as ever. "I want us to get married one day."



I wheezed out all the air in my lungs. "Hhh...Whh..."



Did he just say what I thought he said?!



Oh my God.



I stammered out as many words I could muster: "M...M-m-married?!"



Clearly, I could only muster out one. Did he just say MARRIED?



This was Metal. Like, he's like, teased random cute things before, but... MARRIED?



"Yes."



"Metal!!" I covered my face with my hands.



MARRIED?



"D-d-did you seriously just say that?!" I almost yelled.



"Yes. Keep up."



"Keep--" I lightly shoved him, my face on fire. "It's w-way too soon!"



"You're already my true love," he mumbled. "And I didn't say which day."



"D-don't poke holes in my logic!" This was it for me, I really was gonna pass out. Oh my God. "Th-there's, like, a million things before we get somewhere like that!" I wanted to shut up. Shut up, Rosy. Oh my God.



"I know... Just saying I want it." He averted his eyes again. "I understand there is not yet a proper time for something so open." How was he speaking so NORMALLY?



Steam was probably coming off of my head. My brain was fried. Genuinely, I didn't know how long I was quiet for. "Wh-what made you think of saying that?" I asked when I learned how to breathe again.



"You give me specific feelings. That's all." He slightly shifted in his seat, his blush as strong as mine. Actually, mine was probably stronger. I wasn't sure my fur was pink anymore after that.



"I didn't know you'd want something like that," I muttered. "D-don't get me wrong... I'm... W-wow..."



He grinned at me. "I do like your very strong response. I feel loved."



"Because I do love you!!!" I yelled. I quickly deflated and let my head fall against his shoulder with a whine. I needed, like, five minutes to cool off. Fifty minutes.



"I love you more than anything, Rosy." He held me closer and rested one of his hands on my back. "My love for you only grows stronger, never recedes."



I made another sound and hugged him just as tightly. My tail shamelessly thumped against the bench. Even him just bringing the idea of marriage was enough to kill me. He was unbelievable! Way too bold!!! And cute... and handsome. And I wanted to fight him as much as I wanted to kiss him!!!



I settled in his hold. He made me feel so loved, too...



I finally calmed down after an embarrassing amount of time. We gave each other a loving gaze and I felt the side of his face.



I surprised him with a kiss. I loved him so much. Ready to move on, I picked up my phone, dusted it off, then eagerly skipped ahead. "Let's keep going!" I called for him. I waited for him to catch up, then we held hands again as we went to other parts of the gardens.



There was an entirely different section indoors that had a lot of plants that thrived more in the dark. The air in here was much cooler, which honestly I kinda needed. Metal let out a slow sigh and briefly closed his eyes; maybe he needed the cool air too!



...



I was heating up again.



"... Okay, so, hypothetically," I started. I couldn't believe I was bringing this back up. He looked at me, but I had trouble continuing my words.



"What?" he asked.



I blushed more. "I mean, what would you want to happen for us to go a step further than dating?"



"Hmm." He thought for a while. "I wouldn't want to hide anymore. I want to walk around with you like this in my true form." He went quiet for a moment longer than I liked. "That might not happen."



My heart ached with how he said that. "Well... You never know," I said, bumping our shoulders together. "Do you think you won't be truly happy unless you can do that?"



"It's not that," he softly replied. "I am truly happy with you... If I hide forever so we can be together, so be it. But I think, if we were to escalate, you deserve someone who can always be at your side... And I can't currently do that."



I realized he wasn't just talking about his appearance. "... Metal, do..." I didn't know how to approach it. "Do you want to actually, like... Defect?"



He was quiet for a long time. "... I don't know." He averted his eyes. "I'm happy with you, but my life is so much more confusing now. It used to be simple. I could better comprehend unrequited love. But... I don't want to go back to when things were simpler, either."



I gave him a sympathetic smile. "It is really confusing, isn't it?" I asked.



"Even setting aside my programming, I have no desire to actually fight my Master or anyone belonging to him. In some ways, I feel a fondness for them. Conversely, I constantly want to fight your friends. I hate them very much." He sighed. "Sometimes he makes me so angry... And I think, for a second, it'll be easier to act. I want to walk the line of technicality and anger him in turn. But then something else happens and I get confused again."



"Wait, who makes you angry?" I asked.



"My Master." He frowned. "He doesn't love me in a way that matters to me... But then he will praise me, or he will give me a significant upgrade. I get to go on this date with you because of him. He trusts me to do work that no one else can do. I want to make him proud. I've always wanted that."



I gave him a small moment.



"Don't get me wrong, Rosy... The desire to make him proud has nothing on my desires for you. I consider options I never would have before simply because it would make you happy. Your pride for me has far more meaning. But..." His voice faltered. "I don't know. I have trouble explaining."



"Sometimes family fills a different part of you that maybe romantic love won't," I said. "To have other people who support you... I understand."



"I don't even know if it's that. I have... immense respect for my Master. He built me... I'm not even sure anyone else could fully put me back together like he could. His genius fascinates me. For the longest time, I felt like he could do nothing wrong. A genius couldn't make any mistakes. So... When we so frequently failed, I believed him whenever he blamed it on me. While I have made many mistakes, I am not so naive anymore." He clicked his tongue, slightly irritated. "I don't think he ever truly considered me family, anyway. The only one he ever called his own was Sage."



"Is... that something you want?" I asked.



"To be considered family?" he asked, wanting me to clarify. I nodded. He continued: "He has never called me his son, though he has called himself a father. Orbot and Cubot have always referred to me as their big brother. Sage has wanted to call me her brother in the past, but I have been cold to her. Then there's Belle... Of all of them, I feel the strongest familial bond with her. She is the only one of my Master's creations who knows me."



We eventually slowed down our walk while we were mid-conversation. There was a beautiful little alcove with dim lights and bright, glowing mushrooms. I guided him over there, and together, we sat down.



He told me bits and pieces about his thoughts on Eggman and the other bots... but this was the first time he was so forward about it all. He was finally opening up to me about the person that loomed over his head all his life...



"Regardless... I'm not sure I could hate my Master," he said quietly. "Sometimes, I wish I did."



"I mean, if it makes you feel better... I'm not even sure Eggman's greatest rivals hate him," I said with a shrug. "It can be complicated... He's worked with us a few times for the greater good. Sometimes he shows a heart."



He looked at me. "Do you hate him?" he asked.



I smirked. "Not gonna lie to you, Metal. I kinda hate him."



He smiled too. "I understand," he said, slightly moving his head away.



"I'll tell you what, though... I think anyone has the capacity to do good... to have their hearts changed."



He rolled his eyes. "You sound like the Hedgehog."



"Sometimes he's right," I said, playfully nudging him. "But... I would say my method is a little different than Sonic's. I'm also a teensy bit less patient than he is. If someone's trying to pick a fight, I'm going to kick their ass, I'm not going to debate with them about goodness while fighting."



He made the cutest chuckle ever. "I deeply admire you, Amy Rose..." he softly told me. Him using my full name really surprised me. I kinda gawked at him and he just smiled more. "Your compassion is what I find the most beautiful about you, and it's also what confused me more than anything else. You gave me a heart."



"That's not true," I huffed. "I just woke it up a little bit." I patted his chest.



He slowly kissed me and gave me a gentle stare. After a while, his smiled faded. "... Despite everything I told you, there are things I am genuinely incapable of. I can bend the rules... I can't break them. And... if I could... Where would I go? I don't belong in a world like yours, Rosy."



It was my turn to roll my eyes. "Oh, whatever. You belong in my world, Metal. You will always belong." I hugged him tightly. "I don't care what anyone else thinks."



"Do you want to rule the world?" he teased. "I'll help you."



"No!" I laughed.



We had a calmer moment and gazed at each other. "You're still all that makes sense to me... But I don't mind. You're all I need."



"You've given me like three heart attacks today," I replied, my face hot. I could not think about the thing he said earlier because I wanted to actually function the rest of the day.



"Maybe there will be more." He graced his hand at the side of my face. After a brief moment, he let out a much more dramatic sigh: "I talked a lot. I don't feel like talking anymore."



"That's okay... Thank you for sharing all that with me, Metal. I hope that we'll get to have dates like this in your true form... And I'll take even more pictures," I said, squeezing one of his cheeks.



He squinted at me, making me giggle. His face relaxed just as quickly. He leaned in and kissed me again. My heart pounded against him... He would always make my heart go crazy. We just as gently parted.



He gave me a hopeful look; those eyes reflected the glow of the plants around us. "Could we take a picture in here?" he asked.



I grinned and got out my phone again. "Yeah~"



I took a couple of pictures of us sitting together... We didn't even do anything fancy here, but somehow, these were my favorite ones. Something about the soft light and the way he smiled... It really did something to me. I stared at the photos for a while.



"Stand over there, let me take some pictures of you alone," I said.



He groaned. "Do you really want them?"



"Yes!" I laughed and readied the camera. "You said you've never been a baby, but you sure sound like one."



"Ha ha." He stood where I wanted him to and smiled very sweetly in the pictures I took. Oh, I loved these!! There was just enough light that they looked perfect.



We continued our exploration and went out to a lighter area, still inside the building. If I had to be honest, I wasn't paying as much attention to the plants as I was to Metal... I was being a bit of a hypocrite, hehe.



"Look, Rosy." He gestured over to another exhibit with a giant display of Little Planet.



"Oh, whoa." We both walked over to it. There were lots of photographs, models, and preserved plants from Little Planet. There were a few paragraphs of information on the planet, though I knew pretty much everything. Actually, I knew more than what the plaques listed.



"They don't have any living flowers on display," he said, tilting his head a little. Just as quickly, he pridefully lifted his head. "My own garden is superior to what they have here."



I giggled. "Well, you know better than anyone how picky the flora from Little Planet is. I also think your garden is superior," I said lightheartedly.



I don't think he's ever looked at me so cutely before. Complimenting his garden clearly meant a lot to him... Ahh! I couldn't handle him.



We eventually explored everything and circled back to the main entrance. That date was so much fun! I was excited to get my photos developed and I'd hang them everywhere! I kissed my lovely Metal as we stood near the exit.



"I had the best time," I said with a smile shyer than I meant.



"I'm glad." He gently brushed my quills back. "There is more."



"More?"



He nodded. "We have the rest of the day, Rosy. There's somewhere else I want to take you to... But first, are you hungry?"



My stomach growled on cue. "... Maybe..."



He grinned my way. "Then we'll temporarily stop at the old base." He took my hand and guided me out of the building. We went the same distance as before, and he shifted back to Neo and lovingly picked me up.



He was showing off on the flight back to his base, so he was in a good mood. He let himself fall in the air, keeping a tight grip on me as he twirled up and maneuvered around the clouds. I laughed, holding onto him just as tightly. He flew with his back facing towards the ground, propping me up. We stared at each other... I gave him the millionth kiss that day, but each one felt like the first.



He rose up vertically, then let himself cruise down as he turned over to let me see the ground. It was like a roller coaster! He tightened his hold, then took off at his top speed. I loved the rush of wind... And he looked so cool as he focused forward. I watched the changing scenery below us.



I was super hungry by the time we got to Metal's base and I got to watch him cook for me. I assisted some but he clearly wanted to treat me, so I just let him do it. Nova said hi to us, so I played with them while waiting for Metal to make me something.



Metal was about to hand me a plate of my favorite food... and then he took it back as I reached out for it.



"Aw, c'mon!"



Instead of answer me, he gave a deep sigh. He walked away with the plate, making me follow him. He went down the hallway... Was he going to...?



YES!! He opened the flower garden door and walked inside, all while leaving the door open. I ran to catch up and went through the doorway without a second thought.



The flower garden!!! It was so, so, so beautiful! I could see all the flowers in the daylight, sunlight trickling off iridescent petals. Th-there were some types of flowers I never saw the last time I got a good look in here! I didn't see any dinner table... He let me in on a whim.



I was gonna melt for real this time! I was almost too excited to eat, but then I remembered how hungry I was. Metal handed my food to me and settled on the ground near one of the garden beds. I sat on his lap and happily ate.



I didn't think I could be happier. Moments like this were so precious to me... All I really needed were these quiet moments, being with the love of my life and enjoying some wonderfully prepared food.



After a few minutes, Metal rested his chin on my head... He was very quietly purring. We didn't say anything to each other for the longest time.



I finished my food, which was so delicious... and then I rested back in Metal's arms and enjoyed getting to be in the garden. I watched the flowers freely sway and reach for the sunlight.



"I don't think anything could top this day," I softly sighed out.



"Do you like this more than our last date?" he asked with a light tone.



Ugh, I loved the amusement park date a lot too. "I think each date gets better," I replied. "But it's hard to pick favorite moments... I've loved all of our dates!"



"Me too..." He intertwined our fingers together and kept his head on me. After another peaceful moment, he spoke again: "The place I want to take you next isn't as impressive as the gardens we went to, but I still think you will appreciate it."



I giggled. "I still can't believe there's more!"



He gently picked me up when he stood, then just as gently put me down. He walked away from me, deeper into his flower garden. I loved how he looked with all the flowers... His sharp design was the total opposite of all the soft plants around him, but strangely, it really fit him.



He went over to a bright red flower-- one of the ones I've never seen before-- and cut the stem with his hand. He returned to me, looking at the flower, then at me. He cut more of the stem off, then put the flower behind my left ear and under my headband.



"Happy birthday, Rosy. I love you."



...



I grappled my hands around his head and brought him down to me. I kissed him with all my love. I was gonna cry if I thought too much about it... Agh! I didn't want to cry! But I was just so... I was so...



When I parted my mouth from his muzzle, his eyes looked like static, even in his upgraded form. He didn't move for a few seconds, but eventually, his eyes turned back to normal. His face felt very hot. I laughed a little, which kept me from actually crying.



"C-can... Can we take a picture here? Please?" I asked, blushing more.



"... I'll allow it," he quietly replied. He began shifting to his organic form--



"Wait, no, please turn back."



He went back to Neo, but stared at me, confused. "Isn't it difficult to take a picture of the two of us with your other camera?" he asked.



"I'm taking a picture with my phone! I don't care! I want to see you like this," I huffed. "I'll be careful... I really, really want it."



He averted his eyes, thinking for a while. "Alright."



We posed by one of the full garden beds, with Metal leaning down and wrapping his arms around my waist. I put a hand on one side of his muzzle and leaned my head on the other side, giving my sweetest smile. I took the picture, then we both looked at it together.



That was my favorite photo I ever took.





After we spent some more time together, Metal flew me over the city. I had no idea where he was taking me until he landed on the tallest building... the same one on our very first date. Wow... Metal proved himself to be as nostalgic as ever, and honestly, I loved it.



He sat at the edge of the building and I crawled back into his lap. We watched the skyline together.



"I wanted to watch the sunset with you," he said, keeping me firm in his hold. I felt so comfortable and safe.



"I think that's the perfect way to end such a wonderful day," I said with a light sigh. "I'm glad we could spend our birthdays together!"



"Ugh, don't say it's my birthday," he mumbled.



I giggled. "You'll get used to it. Let's have more wonderful days like this one."



"It's inevitable," he softly replied.



I rested back against him. The sun felt nice, but I welcomed the cooling air. I could be like this forever... I didn't want him to ever let me go again.



... Huh.



"You know... I thought Sonic wanted your help for something about my birthday," I hummed. "I couldn't think of any other reason he would want you, since as far as he knows, you've barely interacted. What did you disappear yesterday for?"



"He and the Bat wanted assistance for something in the future. I initially didn't want to do it, but you convinced me."



"Convinced," I repeated, laughing.



"Fine, more of a negotiation. But... It worked out. I did not fight anyone or say anything out of line."



I laughed again. "I'll take your word for it, handsome."



"I am handsome," he proudly replied. I giggled and rubbed the side of his head. He didn't give me more details, but I didn't feel like I needed to know anyway. I was just glad he was trying new things. Since Rouge was probably there, I doubted she gave him the easiest time. His own confidence in doing well and no mention of 'technicalities' gave me some hope that he handled both her and Sonic without much issue.



We watched the sunset together... Each moment was seriously better than the last. The sun faded behind the horizon, letting the beautiful stars blanket the night sky. I could never get tired of it.



He looked down at me from the side, then angled my head up. He gave me a sweet, slow kiss.



I stared at him for a while, breathless. I kissed him back. Of everything he said and did today, I felt the warmest I've ever been. I shifted in his lap, slightly nervous, but I refused to break his gaze. "Please take me home... I owe you something," I said.



His turbine started up. I hadn't heard it that loud while he was idle... Ahh! I blushed more and finally broke my gaze.



"Th...There's..." He was quiet for a very long moment. He growled to himself, then sighed. "Not yet, Rosy... There's... one more place I want to take you to."



"There's still more?" I asked, my eyes wide. I looked back at him. I definitely felt curious on what else he had in store for me... But I was at that point where I really wanted to go home. I genuinely felt conflicted... By the way he looked at me, I think he did, too. I smirked. "Can it wait until tomorrow?"



He kept me in his arms as he stood up once more. "No..." He gave a much more dramatic sigh, which made me laugh. Clearly, he wanted to go back to my house too. "I'll take you home afterwards."



I grinned and nuzzled my head to his. "Okay, I trust you~"



He flew to another part of the city and landed in some obscure alleyway. From there, he turned back into his disguise, then took me by the hand to guide me to wherever we were going.



Were we going to a fancy restaurant or something? It didn't seem like Metal to take me out to eat since he liked cooking for me... But, he did have some money apparently, so maybe he wanted to do something special for me. We passed by a few fancy restaurants...



I realized we weren't that far from the big park in the middle of the city. We went inside. I loved the park, but...



"We could've walked in the park some other time! It's okay that plans change," I said with a grin.



"No, we need to. You will like it."



The park was unnaturally dark. I couldn't really see much since the huge trees blocked part of the sky as we got closer... In fairness, I rarely came out here at night, but I thought they'd have lamp posts on or something.



I playfully poked him. "Where are you taking me to?" I asked.



"Almost there." We walked for a little while longer, then Metal stopped, causing me to do the same.



All I could tell was that we stood in the middle of a field. I looked around, squinting.



Tons of lights came on at once; there were brilliant lanterns everywhere, across illuminated lamp posts and even around the huge tree in front of us! I saw all my friends gathered around us. I didn't realize any of them were there before! In between them all was a huge table full of food and drinks with some wrapped presents on the side... and in the middle of that was a huge birthday cake with candles!!



"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" everyone yelled in unison.



!!!



I gasped, then looked at Metal, who softly smiled at me. He gently pushed me towards the rest of my friends. Music started up while everyone cheered around me. "Aw, guys...!" I cried for real this time and hobbled over with my arms out to hug them.



Nearly everyone I knew was here! Sonic was the first to get a big hug. I wiped my eyes and grinned at him. "How long did it take you to plan this?" I asked.



Sonic playfully flailed one of his hands. "Aw, it was nothin'. All of us wanted to come together and give you a nice party! You're getting too good at knowing surprises, but we got you this time, didn't we?"



I laughed and nodded. "Yeah," I said.



I made sure to say hi to everyone. Of course, there was everyone who lived around here; the Chaotix, Vanilla and her family, Tails, Rouge--



Rouge gave me a very specific grin and hooked an arm around me. "Happy birthday, darling. Did you have fun with your loverboy today?"



I heavily blushed and lightly nudged her. "Yes, we had a really nice date. Have you been behaving yourself?" I asked with a huff.



"Me? Misbehave? Ms. Rose, I'm offended!" She laughed, then let go of me. "Believe it or not, your man got along with Sonic yesterday. I helped, but still."



"Wh... What did you do?" I squinted at her.



She laughed again. "Nothing that bad. I just annoyed him a little. No kisses or anything of the sort~ I prefer gems far shinier than him." She gave a whimsical sigh and continued: "I'm surprised, though. He was remarkably tame. I knew he would show up to help you, but I didn't expect him to be so domestic. He even let Cream walk him around."



My eyes glistened as I listened to her. "He was good to Cream?"



"Mmhm. What did you do to mess up that poor thing so badly?" she asked with a chuckle. "His Daddy would be furious."



"Just love and affection," I huffed, turning my head away from her.



"Well, keep it up. I'm very interested." She winked, then handed me a small plastic card. "Here's a gift from me and my boys. Your plus one included, of course." She winked at me.



The card contained two reservations t-to... to...



"Rouge...! I can't accept this!" I exclaimed, my face a solid red. "This must be so expensive!"



"Nah. The owner owes me one... Ooh, quite a juicy story. I'll tell you sometime. Anyways, have a blast with your man, because once I complete the job, I will demand details," she said with a laugh.



Steam was coming out of my ears. Rouge gave me reservations to a really fancy mountain resort! There were hot springs, ski slopes, a five-star restaurant, and the most gorgeous mountain view! I always wanted to go, but I never found the time, and when I did have the time, I was saving money for other things. I also couldn't really justify going by myself... But I could go with Metal?! Ahhhh!!!



I jumped against Rouge to give her a tight hug. "Thank you so much!!!"



She grinned and did one of those taps on my shoulder that told me she got enough affection for the night. "Alright, birthday girl. Go have fun with your other friends."



I let go of her and put the card in my purse to keep it safe. I wanted to give Rouge some space, so I ran off and channeled my excitement to others.



I said my hellos to everyone, hugged them, chatted for a while. Even Shadow was here! He wished me a happy birthday, but he wasn't spared from a big hug since Rouge gave him credit for the reservation too! It was so nice talking to him; he didn't talk much, but I knew we were solid since he came all the way out here just to say hi at a silly birthday party.



I was going to leave him be after our brief chat, but then he called for my attention. "Amy," he started, gaze serious. "The man you came here with. That's your boyfriend?"



"Yeah! He's a bit standoffish, but he's totally harmless," I told him. Half-truth.



"Hm." Shadow crossed his arms. "How long have you known him?"



"A really long time... Since we were kids." I gave Shadow a slanted smile. He seemed, uh, suspicious.



Shadow's eyes widened at my answer. "Really?" He narrowed his eyes again, looking past me. "Has he seemed different to you recently?"



Oh... He was really suspicious. I frowned at him. "No, Shadow. What's with these questions?"



He was quiet for a while, gaze softening as he looked back at me. "Apologies. I had a feeling, is all. It's nothing."



"Kai is a little weird and he's not good at interacting with people... but he's not a bad person. Please forgive him if he does anything that seems off," I expressed to Shadow. At the end of the day, I couldn't fight Shadow's intuition, but I could at least show him that my feelings for Metal were serious.



Shadow nodded at me and I hugged him again.



"Stay for some food, okay? Rouge tells me you eat a lot of junk. Get something hearty in you!"



"Tch." Shadow gave an irritated stare, making me want to laugh. "Rouge can't help but put her nose in everyone's business. I'll stay a little while longer, though... Thank you."



I grinned at him, then gave him a small goodbye. I went off to go check on my other friends.



Ah! There was Big! I hadn't seen him since before Metal came back from his upgrade, so we had a heart-to-heart for a little while... I let him know I was doing much better and I told him all about what I've been up to, aside from date details.



I excitedly chatted with Cream afterwards; she told me all about how nice Mr. Kai was, which made me so happy. I was very proud of him. What I didn't know until she mentioned it was that Nova was also a part of the birthday prep, probably to make things a bit less awkward for Metal. Aww... I felt so lucky! Everyone I loved did this for me out of the goodness of their hearts.



I was a little hungry again so I ate whatever called to me in the moment. Unfortunately, I couldn't try everything since I wanted to leave room for dessert. After all my greetings were made, we all gathered around as Vanilla lit the birthday candles. They all sang me a very embarrassing birthday song-- I was blushing so hard! I giddily went up to the cake as the song finished and took out the candles with one blow.



Everyone cheered. Vanilla happily cut the cake; I helped her hand out slices to anyone that wanted one. I wanted one of the corner pieces... Mmm, extra frosting...



Vanilla leaned in right as I was about to grab it-- "There is another special cake for you, sweetheart," she said with a giggle. "Last night, a few of us gathered to make all the food, your boyfriend included. He was very sweet and helpful, but he insisted on making a smaller cake by himself."



"H-he did?" I blushed even more. I was back to being a mess again...



Vanilla showed me perhaps the cutest cake I've ever seen. It was pink, decorated with red bits of frosting and strawberries, and it smelled like heaven. In the middle of the cake was a darker pink flower made of frosting; it looked just like the very first flower he gave me...



"Thank you," I squeaked, picking up the cake. Vanilla chuckled and gently patted my shoulder before walking away.



I lifted my head and looked around the party. I couldn't see Metal anywhere... I did catch sight of Belle standing a bit in the dark, so I walked over. She saw me approaching and defensively stood, spreading her arms out. "A-Amy! H-hold on! Don't come over here!" she frantically shouted.



"Okay, okay! Yeesh." I did notice Tails was behind her and messing with something, but I couldn't really tell what it was. Ah, well. "Have you seen Kai anywhere?" I asked.



"Kai...? Oh... Oh!" She nervously laughed. "I last saw him by himself at the huge tree," she said, pointing behind me.



"Thanks!" I looked over to the tree Belle talked about, but I didn't really see him there. Maybe he was still nearby, though. I went over while carrying the little cake and a knife and fork to dig in. I narrowed my eyes and stared up the tree to see if he was up there... Nope.



I turned my head as I tried to find him. I hoped he didn't leave...



...! Wait! There he was. He was sitting at a little park table near a lamp post with Big, far away from everyone else. There were a few dishes between them; Metal wasn't eating, while Big tried the food very slowly. I grinned... I didn't expect Metal to willingly hang out with him.



As I approached, I overheard their conversation:



"The Bat criticized my sauce," Metal sneered. "I trust you to give me your full honesty."



"Mm, tastes really good to me," Big replied, eyes closed as he enjoyed the food. "She might not like richer food."



"Ha! The irony." Metal scoffed. They were briefly quiet, then he pushed another plate towards Big. "I would also like your input on this one. I went off-recipe."



"Ooh." Big tried it next. "Hmmm... It's pretty good, but maybe a little dry. I think a little bit more milk would make it even yummier."



Metal cursed under his breath, then tried the food afterwards. He gave a solemn nod.



Metal noticed me before I announced myself; he jumped back in his chair, staring at me in shock. Big continued to enjoy the food, his tail lifted in the air. Metal's face got progressively redder and he crossed his arms. This had to be one of the few times he was actually embarrassed! Hahahah!



I giggled as I went up to them. "Am I interrupting anything?" I asked.



Big opened his eyes and gave me a sweet little wave. "Hi again, Amy! I'm enjoying the food," he beamed. "Are you having fun at your party?"



My tail wagged. "I'm having a lot of fun!" I leaned over to Metal. "Kai, can I steal you for a little bit?" I asked.



Metal quickly stood up and joined me, his face still as red as ever. He didn't reply to me, but he was clearly going to follow me.



Big stared at me blankly. "Hmm?" He briefly looked confused, then shrugged. "See ya, little guy," he said cheerfully, then went back to his food. Metal and I walked back towards the tree since no one was around there. I grinned wide at him.



"So... You and Big--"



"You saw nothing," Metal said with clenched teeth. "You heard nothing. I will not speak of this."



I laughed again and playfully bumped our shoulders together. "Have you been okay? No one's been bothering you?"



"Most have not talked to me. I prefer this. There are way too many people around... It's an incredible risk." He glanced behind us, then looked back at me. "... But you are enjoying yourself, so that's good."



"Mmhm." I sat down against the base of the tree and watched Metal until he sat down beside me. I stretched my legs out and let the plate of cake sit in my lap. "Vanilla told me you helped with the cooking... So that's what you helped Sonic and Rouge with, huh?" I asked, smiling.



He nodded. After a short moment, he stared down at the cake. "You haven't tried your cake?"



"It still looks kiiinda big," I hummed, scooting closer to him. "Will you eat this with me?"



"Are you sure?" he asked.



I cut open the cake... Ooh! There was fruit filling! I took a bite and it was absolutely delicious just like I expected. I forgot to bring another fork... I grabbed another piece and offered it to him instead.



Haha, he was still so embarrassed. He averted his eyes, clearly considering his options... but he opened his mouth for me. I grinned at him while he gave me the most heated glare ever.



We quietly shared the cake and took turns with the fork; he calmed down a lot and held my free hand with his.



Kra-koom!



Fireworks shot in the air and bloomed with beautiful, multicolored lights.



"Happy birthdaaaay!" I heard Belle yell from a distance, followed by the crowd cheering. I laughed and watched as more fireworks shot upwards, brightening up the sky. I squeezed Metal's hand and let out a soft sigh.



"Your friends are very fond of you," Metal said quietly.



"Yeah, they're alright," I joked. "I admit I kinda love the fanfare."



"You choose to be here with me, so it's easy for me to forget you are very well known."



We were pretty much done with the cake, so I moved the plate to the side and cuddled up to Metal while we watched the fireworks. "It's nice, but spending time like this with you will always be what I love the most... What did you say before?" I thought back from earlier in the day. "You're all I need."



He soulfully watched me, the corners of his mouth slightly curled up. After a few seconds, he turned his head away. "Strange woman," he mumbled.



I giggled and leaned more against him. I smooched him on the cheek; he turned back towards me and slowly kissed me back. I took in his loving embrace with my eyes closed and listened to the sparkling fireworks. Our mouths slowly parted. We continued watching the fireworks, our heads leaned against each other.



"Presents!" shouted Sonic from a distance.



"Presents! Presents!" a few of them began chanting. I smirked and sat up straight.



"You can leave," Metal said.



I frowned a little. "Are you not gonna come with me?" I asked.



He shook his head. "I'll watch you from over here. Have fun."



I pouted, but he didn't seem to be in a bad mood at all. Crowds just really weren't his thing, and to be fair, he fought like, pretty much all of them at some point. I gently kissed him one more time, then I stood up. "I'll be back later, okay?"



I rejoined my friends and began the amazing ritual of opening birthday presents. Charmy was really excited for me to open his, so I did his first. Aw...! It was the cutest framed drawing he made of me and him catching some angry-faced bad guys together. He did a great job on my hammer! The frame was made out of popsicle sticks and decorated with flowery stickers, too. I knew exactly where to put this in my house.



I got some cute clothes from Vanilla and a handmade heart pin from Cream. I stuck the pin on my purse and kept it there while opening everything. Tails gave his gift next-- it was a blow dryer! Not only that, but it was a fancy blow dryer that Tails made himself. I absolutely loved it, and it was the best shade of pink. The one currently at my house looked like the one in Metal's base, implying Eggman used the same kind, so that one was kinda ruined for me anyway.



Knuckles wasn't here, but Sonic brought me a gift basket of fruits from Angel Island with a note from Knuckles; Sonic got the basket himself, which I considered to be a sweet gift on its own! I was excited to dig in and I'd totally share the fruit with Nova and Metal.



Everyone gave me something wonderful... I was so blessed. I knew exactly what I would do with every gift I received. I thanked each friend and had to stop myself from getting too emotional a few times. I glanced over to Metal, who watched me like he said he would. He was too far for me to see well, but his pose was very relaxed. I smiled over to him.



I hugged everyone and let them know I wanted to leave a bit early, but I encouraged them to keep partying and take all the extra food to their homes. I grabbed a few pieces of the large cake to take back, while the rest was for everyone else. Belle mentioned she was heading out too and offered to carry my presents back home. Of course, my greatest birthday gift was being with my darling Metal. I went back over to him and let him know the plan, so we all packed up and headed out together.



The ride home was pretty uneventful. Metal relaxed a lot more and leaned his head back while sitting in the carriage. It didn't take us too long to get to my house; Metal unlocked the door for me, and then we both took all of our stuff inside after a few trips in and out.



I poked my head out of the door. "Okay, we got everything! Thank you for taking us back, Belle," I beamed.



Belle grinned at me while standing beside the carriage. "Of course! I had fun helping with your party, though Tails has more credit for the fireworks idea," she said with a shy laugh.



"Regardless, it was amazing. I think this has been the best birthday, and it's in no small part thanks to you and everyone!"



"Aw, thanks...!" Belle sweetly tilted her head as she looked at me. "Um... Well, before I go, I want to give you my and Motobud's present." She shuffled something out from the back of her carriage, then offered me a lovingly wrapped box. "I couldn't give this to you at the party, because, um... Well, you'll see. You should open it when you get inside!"



"Thank you so much, Belle," I said, hugging her with one of my arms. "Have a safe trip back, okay?"



"I will! I'm going back to the base. Goodnight! Happy birthday," she beamed, then hopped back onto the front of her carriage.



I went back inside; Metal was already back in his Neo form, which made me giggle. He dramatically lay back on the couch, one foot planted on the floor and the other one hanging off the couch. He acted like he'd been doing labor the whole day. I sat on his torso and opened the present Belle gave me...



Awww!!



"Metal...! Look!" Belle made me a plushie of his base form!! It was much larger than the one she got for Metal, and he had so many details! He was so soft and huggable... Ahhh!! "I love him!!" I put the box on the floor and hugged my new plushie tightly.



Metal lifted his head and squinted at me. "... I do not like this doll."



"I have something for when you're not here!" I said with an eager sigh.



"I am here right now. Put it down."



"Nope, you'll have to take it from me," I playfully told him as I hopped off of him and eagerly went to my bedroom. I still had some energy left after such a long, fulfilling day. I heard his very aggressive footsteps behind me--



He scooped me up. Before he could even think of yanking my new plushie from me, I gave him a big smooch. He briefly froze and just stared at me.



I gently tossed my plushie over to my desk chair and wrapped my arms around him. "Well, now that we're both here... I recall that I owe you something," I teased.



He did not move. After a brief moment, he stood up straighter. "... Y... Yes."



I kissed him again. I really loved being with my friends, but Metal changed everything for me. Ending my day with him just felt... right.