1. Chapter 1 (1/2)

"aw, would you look at that."

rouge places the schematics aside and steps closer to amy, settling at the hedgehog's shoulder with the ease of familiarity

ought about by survival.

"aren't they just the cutest little couple, ever?"

"those two? hmm."

perched on a crate, tangle is trying to orchestrate some sort of complicated handshake with whisper, likely to replace the many hugs that the lemur so eagerly gives out, knowing that the wolf is not much of a hugger herself. a

ight smile and shy giggles are mutual rewards. they don't seem to be having much success, but they are clearly enjoying themselves and each other, much to the bemusement of the wisps who note that the affectionate lack of progress seems to only make the women giddier.

"oh, they're adorable, alright." slyly, the bat leans a little closer. "but i thought you and blue held that title, being the 'cutest' of couples."

"psht. duh, of course!"

rouge smirks when amy tosses a hand back, gently striking a

eastplate.

"i meant after sonic and i. we're still the cutest couple, ever. don't be silly."

"oh, i see."

"anyway, they're so in love and i can't wait for the day they finally realise it, too."

"mmhm."

"why don't they see it, now, though? it's obvious to me, but not to them. and probably not to anyone else. darn, it's always like that. me, witnessing. everyone else, oblivious."

"totally, girlfriend. you're just smart n'stuff. way beyond the rest of us."

"it's hard, sometimes, being as perceptive as i am."

"i can't even begin to imagine how hard it must be."

"alas!" the hedgehog cries, recalling her love for theatre. "why am i burdened with this special sight?"

"well." the bat allows for a pause, then purrs, "could be that you never take off your rosy glasses," through fangs.

"i just wanna grab those two by the backs of their heads, see?" amy mimics the action, ignoring the way rouge scoffs, then grunts upon being seized. "and smash their lips together like this," a tight squeeze to a bicep, "until they finally get the idea and start smooching, already."

"that's vaguely violent and a touch disturbing."

"it's romantic and passionate," the hedgehog grumbles good-naturedly, having unknowingly grasped the bat's arm to hold onto something. "defrost a little, why don't you?"

"i quite like being frosty, thanks. "

"aw! did you see that?"

"see what?"

"they got really close, just now! like, closer than a friendly sorta closeness!"

"ow."

"that confirms it, see? i'm not crazy, i'm not imagining things!"

"debatable, still. you're cutting off my circulation."

"boy, oh, boy! they may even have it worse than you and shadow!"

"oh, please, not this song, again."

"come to think of it! you guys used to be the second cutest couple." amy turns to grin up at rouge, receiving a look of womanly distaste in return. "sitting at a close third, now, though that's still pretty cute."

"for the last time, we are not a thing."

"not yet, but someday, you will be."

"give me back my arm."

"fine, fine. you can love me from a distance, as you are wont to do."

"yeah, let's do it like that, rather." the bat shakes her head, stirring her ears with the motion, and extracts her arm from the hedgehog's loosened em

ace, taking a moment to rub the affected area as if wounded. "quite far away, would be preferable."

"you're not getting any younger, you know."

"don't remind me, honey. and don't start singing, again."

"just something to think about." amy returns to admiring the clumsy flirtation that goes on between lemur and wolf, sighing. "your knees aren't always gonna be that sturdy."

"leave my knees out of this."

"it's just that, well, you're supposed to kneel when you propose and the arthritis will make that difficult."

"ugh."

"by the time you've gotten your act together and asked him, you'll be turning grey at the ears. i know it. i can see it, now."

"why must i propose? he can do it. arrogant man."

"be different. be nonconforming. you're modern."

"says the girl vouching for marriage," rouge fondly mutters whilst turning curvaceously away, ignoring amy's sniggers and sauntering back to the schematics. "bah! talking to you is so weird, sometimes."

"i get the irony. but what's wrong with marriage?"

"nothing, ideally. i'm just not the marrying kind."

"so you've said, so you've said."

"still, i'll kneel to shadow the day you finally check yourself into a nuthouse. old and decrepit or not."

"fair enough. are you grumpy, now?"

"yes, very."

"am i being tiresome?"

"you and your romantic theorizing…"

"can't help it if i'm right, now, can i?"

in the

ief silence, only tangle's clumsy attempts to coordinate with whisper can be distinctly heard over the constant drone of the base.

"i do really think you would be the one to propose, though."