The afternoon sunlight peered through the blinds into the dark workshop, swimming gracefully through the air as it lifted the dark veil that hung over the room. Squinting, the fox sleeping at the desk shifted his head to the other side in attempt to keep resting. No quarter was given though, the sun growing brighter as it came fully out of the clouds and cast its radiance between the slits of plastic covering the window.

Grudgingly admitting defeat to consciousness, blue eyes blinked slowly open as Tails sat up from his desk. He'd fallen asleep working late again, a habit that seemed to be getting more frequent since Eggman had spontaneously chosen to take a year-long trip to somewhere tropical. Sonic had shrugged after he'd shown the fox the postcard the good doctor had sent his archnemesis, stating he'd just take more jogs is all.

Dusting off stray hairs from his workplace, the kitsune stretched as he rose, quickly slipping on his shoes as he headed off toward the Kitchen. After a short breakfast of some week-old rice cakes that Cream and Vanilla had sent him, he bathed and set about the rest of his morning chores.

Sitting on the windowsill over by the fireplace and across from the doorway, a small potted flower cheerfully greeted the sun as its fiery companion burned anew after the morning's curtain of clouds. Dew glittered outside on the grass, casting rainbows in tiny flares across a sea of liquid diamonds, their tribute to the glorious rose of the window.

The fox approached the flower fondly, sprinkling some the water from a cup into the soil and fondling the base of the petals as he deeply inhaled its scent. His enjoyment was interrupted by a loud thumping across from him, the door cracking at its hinges. Tails blinked and set the watering can down, dashing over towards the portal. He arrived just too late, the lock tearing clear from its wooden frame a moment before he reached it.

"SONIKKUUU!" screamed a young girl's voice as a massive hammer smashed the door practically into splinters, knocking the kitsune prone as a pink hedgehog practically flew in past him and began running around his house shouting violently. "Sonic! I know you're hiding here! Come out, you lying shrew!"

"He's not here Amy..." said the fox painfully, slowly getting back on his feet.

"You PROMISED you'd go out with me on a picnic today!" she continued yelling, ignoring him. "You're not standing me up this time! I'll hog tie and drag you out myself if I have to!"

"Really, Amy." Tails continued. "He's not here."

"Where else would he be?" the pink hedgehog growled, turning toward the kitsune, her hammer looming. "I already scoured his other usual hangouts. And neither Cream nor Knuckles would shelter him while I'm after my hunny!"

"I don't know..." he said honestly. "I haven't seen Sonic since yesterday afternoon. Here..."

The kitsune walked past her into the living room, stepping in front of the fireplace and indicating the area with a sweeping gesture of his hands. "You can look around if you want, just please don't break down anymore of my doors. I'm not done fixing the last."

Amy's heavy panting continued for a few more seconds, her hand firmly clenched on the hilt of her weapon. Then with a sad sigh, she relaxed and walked over to the couch, depositing herself there in an unlady-like manner. Pleased that his domain was no longer threatened, Tails retreated to the pantry for a peace offering and soon returned with mugs of hot cocoa.

"Thanks," she said meekly, the fire of her usual personality coming through strained and tired. The fox just nodded and sat down next to her.

They sat in silence for awhile, the steam from their drinks dancing in the air and twining into serpentine strains. Amy's eyes drifted around the room, passing across the furniture, the simple windows and the ashen fireplace. Proceeding up, they rested briefly on a single portrait upon the mantle: a photo from a party aboard the Blue Typhoon. Her gaze faltered, and she glanced at the flower upon the windowsill.

"How long has it been?"

The question startled the fox staring into the depths of his mug, turning to find the pink hedgehog staring at him sadly. She indicated her head toward the plant and he understood. "A few months now. Funny... It's almost... It's like I feel her still around, you know?"

He turned back to the cup in his hands, and Amy regretted bringing up the subject at the glum look Tails now wore. Time may heal all wounds, but having Cosmo torn so cruelly torn from his life - that would take a great deal of it. The hedgehog scooted over a little closer to the kitsune, adjusting her dress as she sank a little deeper into the couch.

The kitsune took a sip from his drink and then set it down on a coaster. "What about you?" he asked, "Setting the current circumstances aside, I bet Sonic's not been all bad, huh? I mean, you got him to at least promise to take you on a picnic."

Now it was her turn to frown. "I had him tied to a tree at the time," she said slowly, "he would have gnawed off his own leg to get away, I think. An empty promise must have just been less of a sacrifice to him."

Tails' eyebrows furrowed. What was Sonic doing? He knew the other hedgehog fancied Amy at least a little, and if there was anything his harrowing experience had taught him, it was not to be shy over one's feelings - get as much enjoyment as you can with them as you can, because in only one blink they might be gone forever.

"He really shouldn't have done that to you, Amy." the kitsune said with a confidence that surprised even him. "You don't deserve to be treated so rottenly."

"That's sweet of you to say," she said, closing her eyes. "Thanks Tails."

She opened them again but found the fox staring once again at his flower on the windowsill, his face carved with a hollow sort of happiness that did little to cover a soul-wrenching loneliness. He just looked so sad, she thought, leaning a little closer into the warmth of his fur so that her nose was just getting tickled by his whiskers.

It was at this point that the kitsune became acutely aware of just how close Amy had gotten, feeling her breasts pushing gently against his arm. His head whipped around and he found himself suddenly staring into very big and very bright green eyes, far closer than he was comfortable with. He wanted to push her away, but his body betrayed him, sensing the warmth and twisting a little itself to face it.

For her part, the pink hedgehog had a similar reaction. Aware from the fox's initial expression she had crossed a line, she moved to get away - and found Tails' chest had twisted to face hers, and his expression had changed to something of... what? Shyness? Curiosity?

The two stared foreignly at each other for a few seconds, both confused as their bodies simultaneously told them to get closer and farther away. It was Amy who broke the trance - a strange, bubbling desire, warm like the cocoa in her stomach, arising from the depths of her body and strong arming caution and reason away from the table of thoughts. Instinct took over in the gap, the girl's head leaning in forward and completing the circle of union that had gone on long before either had been born.

Shock was the first expression that seized the fox's body as lips met - his entire body locked up, unable to think of how to react to this strange, new stimulus. The hedgehog, her fire seizing full control, came on more aggressive with a second, deeper kiss, and he tasted chocolate as a foreign tongue forced its way into his mouth, swimming around in a few circles before retreating to whence it came.

Pause. Amy suddenly jerked away, apologizing furiously as crimson stained her cheeks. She stopped when a fluffy tail curled up along her back, glancing to see the fox slowly blinking and then smiling at her.

They awkwardly talked for another hour or so, neither bringing up the subject of the incident. At last the pink hedgehog got up to leave, fluffing her dress back out and thanking Tails for the hot chocolate and conversation.

"Amy?"

She stopped at the shattered doorframe, slowly looking back as Tails got up from the couch and approached, stopping a few feet away. She once again found herself conflicted on wanting to cover that short remaining distance or make it as long as possible.

The kitsune tilted his head, his smile still present. "Tell Sonic when you see him: don't live with regrets."

They continued to stare at each other for a moment and a lifetime. Then she turned and walked away, not once looking back.

The fox continued to stand there, even after she was long gone. Then he finally turned his head, looking to the lone flower on the windowsill, and marveled at the rarity of his two roses.

Author's Notes:

This was a small trade I did with DashXFox over on deviantART. I'm not really much for TailsxAmy, but I thought it would be a fun challenge... So yeah...

This does take place shortly after Sonic X though. I don't consider it part of the Bloodlines Saga, but it doesn't particularly inhibit it either. So you can categorize it however you want, should you fancy it.