All right, now we get to the more mature part of this story. Everyone under 18, you should probably get off the train at this station; I really don't need someone reporting my story just because they can't handle a little hot hedgehog-on-cat action. If you do read on, however, enjoy the second half of the best romance story I've written yet.

This is the conclusion to A Future for Us.

Enjoy!

A Future for Us: Part 2

When the door slammed shut behind Silver, the sudden drop in background noise as the TV was muffled was a brief distraction, but his attention quickly returned to a more immediate situation; namely, Blaze's tongue chasing his around inside the hedgehog's mouth.

With his eyes closed as he enjoyed the sensation of Blaze's lips on his, Silver forgot to check how close he was to the bed; his knees bumped against the edge, and the hedgehog almost lost his balance as he tried to hold on tight to Blaze. The cat just laughed as he wobbled in place, barely keeping them both from falling, and she leaned her head against his chest and muttered with a small smile, "As fun as this is, how about we settle down before someone gets hurt, hm?"

"Fine," Silver uttered quietly, greatly embarrassed as he lowered Blaze so she was seated on the foot of the bed, somewhat reluctantly letting go of her rear end. "However," the hedgehog began once Blaze was seated, "that's the last command you get to issue tonight, Your Highness."

"Oh really?" Blaze asked, leaning back on her arms and staring with an amused grin at the hedgehog standing in front of her. "So how do we proceed from here, guardsman?"

"Well, we're both a little overdressed here," Silver stated, grabbing his gloves and pulling them off a finger at a time before dropping them on a dresser near the door. "I think we should deal with that first."

"Not a bad idea," Blaze commented, her grin widening as her excitement grew. She grabbed the amethyst bracelet on her wrist with her other hand and opened its clasp, allowing her to slide it off and place it on the bedside table nearby. "Should I go first, or you?"

"You," the hedgehog uttered with a smile, "but I'm going to do the work." He moved forward and leaned against the bed on his forearms, looking Blaze in the eye as he reached forward and grabbed hold of the zipper of her sweater again. He slowly pulled it down the rest of the way, taking his time until the sweater finally opened up to reveal the pale white fur of her belly and the entirety of the bra covering her chest, and Blaze shrugged her arms to let the sleeves loosen on her arms so Silver could pull them off one at a time until the garment finally slid off her back.

Silver tossed the pink sweater aside, heat coursing through him and making him flush as he gazed at his lover's scantily-clad body. Even with just her shirt off, the hedgehog thought she looked heavenly; the pale fur of her torso blended into the darker shade on her arms and legs and neckline almost like a ripple, every inch of it silky and smooth to the touch. Her golden eyes looked away, a light blush on her cheeks as she muttered, "Don't stare so much, Silver…"

The hedgehog shook himself, chastised; she had told him off about that during their previous trysts, but he did not discipline himself enough sometimes. "Sorry," he murmured, "it's a little difficult to not stare at perfection…"

"Oh, shut up!" Blaze scolded him, but she was laughing now, pleased with the compliment despite herself. "We still have more work to do, you know," she continued. "Don't get distracted."

"Of course," Silver quickly agreed. "Next up…" He clambered onto the bed beside Blaze, resting on his knees as he laid his hands on her hips and nuzzled her face, planting one kiss after another on her lips as she giggled. One of his hands slid down to her feet, removing her socks one by one and tossing them away, while the other reached up to the front of her jeans.

"Lift your legs," he whispered, and she did so, raising them up as Silver undid the button of her waistband to loosen the pants so he could slowly pull them down her legs, her pink and red boxers coming into view as he did. One leg slipped free, followed by the other, and then the jeans joined her sweater on the floor as Silver embraced Blaze again, the two of them falling down onto the bed with Silver on top, their lips dancing in synch as he held her against him, relishing the warmth of her bare skin and fur.

"Mmmm…" Blaze moaned into his mouth, closing her eyes and letting her fingers trail across Silver's quills as his hands roamed her body in turn, traveling over her hips and sides until they slipped under her back and reached the base of her spine, making her tingle all over. The hedgehog softly caressed her back all over until his hands found the clasp of her bra, and by instinct he started working to get it undone.

Due to the maddening feeling of his tongue clashing with hers, Blaze didn't notice his efforts at until Silver gave a quiet grunt of annoyance, his efforts to get her bra off thwarted by the difficulty of getting the clasp apart while she lay against the bed. Opening one eye, she saw that Silver's face was furrowed in concentration even as he continued to make out with her, and she felt his hands at work beneath her and realized what he was attempting. Slowly pulling her face away from his, Blaze fixed him with an amused stare as he opened his eyes and looked away, annoyed with himself.

"Sorry, I'm still not great at…" Silver's words were cut off as she lay one finger on his lips, silencing the hedgehog. Blaze lifted herself off the bed, pushing Silver's face into her chest as she reached back and expertly undid the clasp in one motion, sliding the straps off of her shoulders. Silver withdrew his face after leaving a kiss on her torso and watched her push the bra down her arms, dangling it from one finger and smiling before dropping it off the side of the bed.

The sight of her small but firm breasts, nipples already perked up from her excitement and exposure to the air, was something he had sorely missed during the past three weeks, and it made his face burn and his arousal burn even more. Silver did not waste a second in bringing his fingers up to tease one of the firm nubs, letting his other hand travel along her leg and towards her inner thigh. Blaze bit her lip as he brushed against her sensitive skin and gently tweaked her hardened nipple, and she lay back down and pressed a hand to her mouth to muffle the sounds of pleasure he dragged out of her with every little twitch of his fingers. "Well," she whispered breathlessly in between moans, "you were certainly… paying attention… the last few times that we were here."

"I wanted to know," Silver muttered, his voice even quieter than hers. "I wanted to know what you like. What gets those noises out of you." He leaned down and let a breath of warm air out onto her left breast before gently taking her nipple in his lips and suckling softly, and Blaze groaned loudly and held his head against her chest with both hands as he bit softly on one breast, then the other, leaving dark hickeys on both. His tongue drew a wet trail across her cleavage before he kissed his way back up her neck and once again grabbed her lips with his own, chasing her tongue as both of his hands came up to fondle her breasts, squeezing the soft flesh gently with his thumbs brushing over her nipples teasingly.

"Oh, god, Silverrrrr…" Blaze moaned into his mouth, a drawn out sound that was full of heat and love and need. Hearing her say his name in that voice made Silver shudder with emotion, and the waist of his pants was now pitching a large tent as his body heated up with arousal even further, sweat starting to form on his skin. Blaze was starting to sweat as well, and she pressed her burning body against him in desperation, stopping the kiss and muttering, "Silver, please…"

"Hm?" Silver asked jokingly, his blue eyes watching her with intensity. "Please what?"

"Your clothes… off. Please," she whispered. "I don't want to wait any more…"

A mischievous light glimmered in Silver's eyes as an evil thought crossed his mind. "Very well," he replied, "but…" He slowly disentangled himself from her, a noise of displeasure escaping Blaze as the hedgehog slipped out of her grasp. Silver slid off the edge of the bed and stood facing her, watching her chest rise and fall as she stared back at him, breathing heavily.

"You have to stay right there," he said, smirking, "and just watch. No moving until I say."

"Oh, come on…" Blaze whined, shifting in place on the bed. "This is ridiculous. You got to undress me, but I have to wait while you strip down? No fair," she pouted, an exaggerated look of sadness on her face.

"Ah ah ah," Silver chided, "you didn't say taking the initiative meant I had to be fair, did you? I think I'm obligated to tease you a little, considering everything you did to me when we started sleeping together."

Blaze's lips formed an even deeper pout at his words. "Well, yes, but…"

"No buts." His tone was firm, but he could barely contain his laughter at her downtrodden expression. "And no moving. I can make sure you stay still, you know."

That made her huff in a mix of resigned amusement and annoyance, but it was an empty jest; he had never, not once, used his powers on her, and he never would. They had tried some rather raunchy things during a few of their more erotic nights together, but even if Blaze asked him someday to spice their sex life up with his psychokinetic gift, he would refuse. It was a line he wouldn't cross.

However, his current actions seemed to be more than enough to excite Blaze further; she backed up against the headboard of the bed so she could sit up straight to see him better, golden eyes locked on the hedgehog as he slowly shrugged out of his button-up, letting the sleeves slide off his arms as the shirt fell to the floor. He grasped the bottom of his t-shirt and pulled it over his head in one quick motion, dropping it onto the crumpled button-up as he unbuckled his belt and slid it through the loops of his slacks.

Seeing Blaze shift eagerly in place, her eyes on his hands as they worked to get his belt off, Silver smirked and turned around, sitting on the edge of the bed with his back to Blaze so he could more easily slide his slacks and underpants off- also blocking her view at the same time. This caused Blaze to give an even greater huff of disappointment, and he knew he was making her impatient as hell; however, she had tortured him like this before to make him more enthusiastic in the long run, and he had ended up enjoying it. Blaze could live for a few more moments before she saw him.

The hedgehog pulled his pants off slowly, trying to get Blaze on edge even more, and he could hear her muttering something under her breath behind him. He caught something like, "…taught him too much…" but he couldn't be sure. He grabbed his socks as well on the way down, and in another moment all his clothes were piled on the floor just off the edge of the bed.

Silver turned his head to look over his shoulder, catching a glimpse of the cat's annoyed expression, and he almost burst out laughing at how absurd the situation was; he was actually getting Blaze, who was a relentless tease when she wanted to be, very sexually frustrated. Containing his mirth, he asked over his shoulder, "Had enough yet?"

"What the hell do you think?" Blaze grumbled. "Get over here already."

"Hey," Silver shot back, letting a low, playful growl slip into his tone, "what'd I say about you giving commands tonight?"

"Oh, come on," she whined, immediately regretting her mistake, "I didn't mean it like that…"

"Too bad," the hedgehog cut her off, a predatory grin emerging on his face. He rose from where he sat on the edge of the bed and walked around the side, standing next to Blaze as he continued, "You're going to have to learn your lesson the hard way, it seems."

The cat stared up at him with a concerned look until her gaze flickered downward to between his legs, and then her grin and voice became extremely lewd as she appraised what she saw. "I guess you mean that quite literally, huh?"

Silver blushed at the racy innuendo, but he managed to maintain the bossy attitude he had displayed before. "Alright, princess, now you're in for it," he growled. He jumped back onto the bed and grabbed Blaze in his embrace, pressing her against the pillows, his legs between hers as they started to make out again. Blaze's face was growing red now as both of them explored each other's bodies tenderly with their hands, the feeling of Silver's erection rubbing against her thigh both mortifying and arousing her to no end, and in her lust she blindly reached down between them with one hand even as she continued to kiss Silver back.

When her fingers landed on the tip of his erect manhood, Silver's body reflexively jerked a little, the sensation too much to handle after not having lain with her for three weeks. It felt like a storm was raging inside him, his lust starting to get the better of him after such abstinence. He groaned quietly as Blaze's fingertips brushed against the sensitive flesh, and his grip on the cat got tighter as he let out a long, quivering breath.

"Well, now…" Blaze murmured quietly, enjoying the hedgehog's reaction. "Something tells me you're a little eager to get things moving tonight. As it happens, so am I." Her expression turned wicked with mischief as she continued, "About time we got to the main event, don't you think?"

Silver wanted to agree; he wanted it very badly, and for a moment he almost lost control and submitted to his raging libido. By some miracle, however, he restrained himself, and the hedgehog managed to pant out, "No. Not yet."

The beautiful cat that lay beneath him seemed surprised; her tone was full of a mixture of curiosity and frustration as she asked, "No? Really? You're saying no now of all times?"

Silver shook his head, still trying to calm himself down as his own heartbeat thundered in his chest, and he closed his eyes for a second so the sight of Blaze's near-naked form wouldn't excite him further. Finally collecting his thoughts, he managed to mutter, "I'm not going to let this end so quickly, Blaze." He opened his eyes and fixed her with a firm stare as he confidently stated, "I'm going to keep my word. I'll keep at it until you're begging for me to sate you. And then we'll get to the main event, and not a moment before."

Blaze stared at him with wide eyes, taken aback by the sudden confidence he was exuding- a confidence he had lacked all the times they had slept together before. "Wow, Silver," she whispered in awe, "what's gotten into you tonight?"

"I finally realized how much the thought of losing you scares me. That's what got into me." The hedgehog tenderly cupped her left cheek with one hand, his other on her hip, and Blaze closed her eyes and relished the sensation of Silver caressing her face as he murmured, "So I'm going to show you, right now, just how much I want to hold on to you."

"Is that so?" Blaze muttered with curiosity, opening one eye and letting her golden gaze fall on him. "And just what do you plan… on…" Her voice faded away, replaced with a quiet moan as Silver leaned in to plant a soft kiss on the side of her neck, and Blaze gripped the patch of white fur on the hedgehog's chest tightly as he made his way down her neck and onto her chest, leaving more kisses every few inches. He gave another teasing lick to one of her nipples on his way down, making Blaze bite her lip even harder than before, and Silver squeezed her other breast gently with one hand as he continued down Blaze's front with his lips, slowly shuffling backwards on his knees.

The cat could barely focus, the sensations coursing up and down her body from Silver's administrations driving her wild; she reflexively curled her legs, muffling another groan with her hand as Silver reached her navel and descended still further, arriving at the waistband of her boxers. With a tentative grin, he slid his forefingers between her boxers and her hips, looking up at Blaze with eager eyes as she returned his gaze, and she panted out a few short breaths before finally nodding in encouragement.

With that, Silver tugged on the boxers, pulling them down off her hips and then her legs, taking his time removing the last article of clothing either of them wore. The boxers went sailing off the bed as Silver tossed them over his shoulder without looking, his gaze instead roaming the heavenly figure of the now-nude cat that lay before him, her chest rising and falling in more even breaths now as they looked each other over.

"Oh, Blaze…" Silver whispered, "…you are beautiful."

That made Blaze blush fiercely, her confident exterior cracking under the torrent of emotions she was feeling that night. "You and your compliments…" she muttered, trying to not show her embarrassment. "I'm surprised you're still talking, hedgehog. I thought you were saying something about showing me how much you want to keep me?"

That made Silver chuckle; he really had gotten her impatient, it seemed. "Yes, I was," he whispered. His next words were absolutely mortifying, but he managed to get them out despite the heated blush that suffused his face. "Spread them."

Blaze was a little embarrassed as well, but she did as he asked and let her legs drift apart. Silver leaned down to kiss her stomach softly one last time before he slowly licked two of his fingers and slid them down her side, onto her thigh, and then inward towards her core. When his fingers started tracing a path around her outer folds, Blaze threw her head back into the pillows, gasping up at the ceiling as Silver brushed his fingertips ever so lightly over the large bead of flesh just inside her nether regions. To be feeling pleasure like this again, after being away from Silver for too damn long, felt absolutely heavenly to Blaze, and she quietly moaned, "Please…", desperate for him to continue.

With one last glance at the beautiful cat splayed out on the sheets before him, Silver's gaze turned to the smooth pink flesh of her folds as he inhaled the sweet aroma emanating from her core. The hedgehog let out a long, hot breath of air against her insides that had Blaze quivering in excitement as he slowly let his tongue emerge to lick her outer edges. He had only done this once before, with encouragement from Blaze during the last time they had slept together, but he had done well for his first time giving oral pleasure, and Silver had not had the conviction that filled him tonight back then. He pushed his tongue further into her, and a brief but high cry escaped Blaze as his tongue rubbed against her deepest regions before sliding up and back to massage her clit in a slow, teasing stroke.

One single thought passed through Silver's mind as he tasted her. God, it's been too long.

And then he was eating her out like a starving man, his hands gripping her thighs and holding them apart as Blaze writhed and buried one of her hands in his quills, instinctively holding him against her even as she held her other hand over her mouth to muffle the sharp cries of pleasure that continued to escape her. Silver could feel her sweet, slick liquids on his muzzle, the taste of her strong on his tongue, and he continued to lap at her inner regions and stimulate her clit with slow, loving strokes. The hedgehog relished the flavor of his lover and the satisfying knowledge that this experience was his to savor, the privilege of pleasuring Blaze as no one else ever would his to enjoy. Silver barely stopped for air as he maintained a seemingly endless oral assault upon her sopping core.

Blaze could only writhe wildly where she lay, her legs shaking in Silver's grip and her own hands pushing Silver into her, instinctively holding the hedgehog's face against her nether regions in a desperate attempt to keep the cascade of pleasure he was lavishing upon her from stopping. Not that Silver had any intention of halting, it seemed; the sensual storm continued to ravish every fiber of Blaze's being until she could no longer tell how long he had been orally sating her, the passage of time lost to the cat as her whole world was reduced to indescribable pleasure.

Two of his fingers came up again to rub her clit once more, now lubricated by the mess of fluids his administrations churned up within Blaze, and the sensation of his digits massaging her clit even as his tongue continued its incessant rampage inside her proved too much. Silver's plunging efforts with his fingers caught her clit on every stroke even as he continued to lap away at the slick juices filling her insides, until the cat could feel herself building to the breaking point. She was forced to let go of Silver's head and clutch at the bed sheets with an iron grip as her legs shuddered fiercely, her insides feeling like they were clenching and undulating and rocking her entire body as a mighty orgasm began to blast through her.

Silver felt her juices splash against his muzzle as she came, and he withdrew his face so he could watch her arch her back and groan aloud through her hand at the mind-numbing sensations. His fingers remained, however, still ceaselessly rubbing her clitoris to keep her orgasm fueled, and Blaze's groan turned into another, louder cry as she bucked again, her climax not quite finished yet. It took many more seconds for Blaze to finally stop shuddering and lay still, her breath harsh and ragged as she recovered from her thunderous finish. The bed sheets between her legs were dark with soaking liquid, as was the fur around Silver's muzzle; the hedgehog withdrew his fingers from Blaze's core and unconsciously licked them and his lips, still savoring the taste of her as he waited for his lover to be able to speak again.

Blaze felt like her head was reeling and she was short of breath, but she still lifted her gaze when Silver started crawling back up the bed until his body was even with hers once more. They lay side by side, staring at each other in silence until Blaze's breathing resumed a more normal pace and she reached out to lay one of her hands on his face. The hedgehog took her hand in his own and held it against him, turning his head slightly so he could kiss her palm softly. Blaze could feel the dampness of his muzzle from the oral wonders he had performed, and the thought of what he had just done to her made the cat feel hot and lustful and giddy all over, and she blushed as she murmured, "Oh, Silver… I love you so much…"

Her blissful tone made Silver grin with delight at his success in pleasuring her, and he slid over and wrapped his arms around the cat, pulling her against him once more so their lips could meet in a slow, sensuous dance unlike their frenzied and passionate making out from earlier. The hedgehog's face was a bit of a mess after he had orally pleasured Blaze, but that didn't bother her one bit; the cat took his head in both of her hands and kissed him one more time before grinning lewdly and letting her own tongue out to slowly lick some of the slickness off of his fur.

Her actions made the hedgehog tremble with excitement and lust. "Dammit, you are such a temptress…" he muttered, making Blaze giggle even as she leaned in to kiss him again. Silver responded in kind, gripping her rear end tightly as his lips searched hungrily for more. It wasn't long before Blaze could feel his erection pressing against her leg once again, but instead of mortifying her it now only sent a lustful thrill throughout her entire being.

When her right hand slid between them to grasp at his hardened member once more, trying to guide him towards her nether regions, Silver grabbed her hand and stopped her before she could reach her goal. It made the cat glare at him in frustration, but he cut her off before she could speak. "No," he said firmly. "I want you this way."

"What way-" Blaze started to ask, her words a little slurred, but then she yelped as Silver hugged her tight and pulled her on top of him, the cat's back against his chest and his breath hot on the back of her neck. His teeth found the weak spot on her nape once more, and she instantly melted on top of the hedgehog with a long, low moan, her legs going limp and one of her hands reaching desperately behind her to grasp for something, anything to hold onto. Silver caught her hand in his own and squeezed it tightly, his other arm still wrapped around the cat possessively as he kissed every inch of her neck and collarbone, making Blaze groan quietly and squirm on top of him.

Still running his lips all across her neck, Silver reached down with the hand that held Blaze against him and slowly traced a path down her belly, sliding his fingers through her silky fur with a soft touch that sent shivers through the cat. He could feel the sweat running on the heated surface of her skin; his own body temperature was rising in unison with his arousal, and the air already smelled faintly of sweat and the scent of sex. The cat bit her lip yet again as Silver's fingers came dangerously close to her outer folds, teasingly brushing through the still-wet fur around her crotch, and the hedgehog repositioned himself so that his manhood was right below her core, where he might guide himself into her.

However, with the cat laying on top of him and neither of them very willing to move at the moment, Silver found himself unable to properly position his shaft so he could thrust into her, and Blaze snapped out of her lust-filled trance when the expected feeling of him entering her never arrived and looked down to see Silver's hips shifting in vain as he tried to get into a better position. Sighing, she slowly pulled her hand out of Silver's, ignoring his sudden noise of protest as his hands fell at his sides when she sat up and leaned forward, sitting on her knees with her waist almost directly above his.

Silver watched the cat as she slowly took his member in her hand, and although he groaned through his teeth at the incredible sensation, he managed to meet Blaze's eyes as she turned her head and looked back over her shoulder at him with a husky gaze, an eyebrow raised as she silently asked if this was how he wanted to continue.

After a moment, Silver finally nodded, too excited and eager to speak, and with that Blaze lowered herself down so that the tip of his manhood pressed against her outer folds. Just that first instance of slick, heated contact had both of the lovers trembling in anticipation and lust, but Blaze did not pause; she spread her legs to either side and slowly descended the rest of the way, inch after soft, squeezing inch of her warm insides enveloping Silver's member until her threw his head back against the pillows, growling at the utterly unbelievable pleasure as he was hilted fully within her.

"Ohhhh..." The small sound escaped Blaze as she leaned forward, supporting herself on shaking arms as she tried to focus, the sensation of him filling her to what felt like near bursting overcoming her and stealing all her breath away. It felt so natural, the way he fit inside her like they were made for each other, a feeling like nothing else Blaze could ever imagine.. They both remained still on the bed, joined as one in the most intimate manner possible, Blaze trembling slightly and Silver taking a deep breath as he tried to resist thrusting into her like a hormonal adolescent.

And then, Blaze began to move.

Slowly, elegantly, her back arched as the cat lifted herself a little, her inner walls sliding against Silver's hardened shaft as she rose up before slowly settling back down again, dragging the movement out so they could both relish every second of the passionate act. The breath Silver had just taken escaped him in a shuddering rush as Blaze's warm, squeezing loins enveloped him again, and his hands found her hips as she moved once more. Blaze rocked forward a little as she moved up and down again, setting a slow but constant pace that sent pleasure surging throughout every fiber of her being as she gracefully swayed on top of Silver's waist, firmly burying his member within her with each movement.

Silver still held the cat's hips in a firm grip, grasping her like she was his anchor against the surging waves of thought-dissolving pleasure that churned within him. If there was a heaven, it couldn't any better than this- watching his beautiful lover gyrate on top of him, her graceful movements almost like a dance as she slid her slick insides against his hardened erection, the small, gasping moans she emitted echoing in his ears. Perhaps it was due to the length of time that had passed since they had last been together like this, or just that Silver had not truly appreciated what he had been blessed with where Blaze was concerned, but what the cat was currently making him feel was better than anything he had ever experienced in his life- far better than any one of their previous trysts.

"Good God, Blaze…" Silver gasped, barely able to draw a proper breath due to the overwhelming sensations. The tight heat made every second a struggle against his impending orgasm, but he could not, would not let himself climax so soon. Not while Blaze still rode on top of him, working towards her own orgasm, and-

His mind snapped out of the pleasure-induced haze as he focused on that thought, briefly managing to focus on something other than the overwhelming feeling of Blaze's insides squeezing him like she was trying to milk the hedgehog dry. Here he was, lying back and letting Blaze do all the work to pleasure them both, when he had promised to take the lead and do everything he could to make it good for her. Silver felt ashamed and determined all at once, his desire to prove himself to the princess and show her what kind of man he could be for her suddenly overriding every other feeling- even that of the intercourse he and Blaze were sharing.

For the second time that night, Blaze found herself caught off guard by Silver's arms as they wrapped around her from behind, the hedgehog sitting up quickly from where he lay. Before the cat could react, his mouth was once more moving across the back of her neck even as his left hand slid down her stomach towards her clitoris, and then Blaze was going limp with a loud cry, her entire body erupting in a surge of heated bliss as the hedgehog's teeth and fingers found their marks. So great was her pleasure that she barely even noticed as Silver shifted behind her, moving his legs behind him and sitting up on his knees so that they both knelt on the bed, torsos flush against one another, the hedgehog's manhood still buried within her and his waist supporting her body.

What she did notice was that Silver now began to move his hips, one slow thrust following another as the hedgehog started pushing into her at his own pace- a pace faster than Blaze's, filled not with a desperation for release but with an urgency to please the cat as much as he possibly could. To that end, Silver took his fingers that had been toying with her clit and spread her labia apart, allowing him to fit into her more easily while his other arm wrapped around Blaze's chest, cupping one breast and holding her against him even as the cat rocked up and down in time with his lustful thrusts.

Blaze felt like she was slowly losing her mind, blissful pleasure arcing through her body like bolts of lightning each time the hedgehog speared her with his member, burying himself deep inside her core before withdrawing for another thrust. The lewd sounds of flesh ramming against flesh grew louder as Silver increased the rhythm of his motions, still holding the cat's moistened folds apart to allow his shaft to slide through her slick insides more easily. One free finger maintained a constant assault on her clitoris, and his administrations were setting her nether regions on fire to the point that she could no longer keep her voice down at all. Great cries of pleasure escaped Blaze over and over again as her lover plunged himself into her unceasingly. One of her hands gripped the sweat-soaked bed sheets, and the other reached back to slide her fingers between Silver's quills and hold his face against her neck, and the dark bedroom echoed with the cat's loud cries as their lovemaking grew ever more passionate.

For his part, Silver allowed her to press his head against hers; that way, he could still work on her neck with his lips and teeth while giving Blaze something to hold onto as her world got rocked. She was not the only one losing herself in pleasure, though- Silver found this new position they were trying to be absolutely thrilling, exotic even. This way, he could hold her warm body tightly against him, stroke her all over from her face to her breasts to her legs, push into her at whatever pace the two of them wanted to go at, all at once without leaving Blaze unstimulated for even a second. He poured all of his passion into his actions, working over every inch of his lover's body with his fingers and mouth and manhood, allowing raw instinct and emotion to take over.

It was like the rest of the world outside that bedroom no longer existed, everything else insignificant against their love for one another. All of Blaze's concerns and troubles were forgotten, any coherent thought impossible as she ground her hips against Silver's, pushing herself down onto his member so he was buried as far within her as possible with each thrust, making the hedgehog groan even as Blaze cried out again and again when his fingers toyed with her clitoris. Her whole reality was Silver; his warm breath on her neck, his manhood stretching her insides, his hands dancing along her breasts and her clit, and his soft murmur of "I love you" in her ear were all that mattered to the princess as she moved in unison with Silver, their rutting reaching a fever pitch with both of their climaxes now drawing very near.

Silver felt the end coming, the pressure building at the center of his being, but he was determined to ensure that Blaze reached it first; he wanted to feel her body shake in his arms, hear the unrestrained cry she always tried to muffle against his chest before he allowed himself to feel that same great pleasure. His fingers dug ever more ferociously at the cat's clitoris while he still pushed his member deep into her with quickened haste, and the hedgehog latched onto the back of her neck with his teeth, sucking hard at the tender skin before taking his free hand off of her chest and cupping her chin with it, turning her face towards his for one more long, sweet kiss.

It was all too much for Blaze to process- the heated love bite, the raging, unceasing assault on her soaked core, his lips clashing with hers- and her body jerked wildly on top of his waist as a second, more powerful climax suddenly began, sending quivers throughout Blaze's body. It was heavenly, it was glorious, but she did not move her face away from Silver's; she kept her lips pressed against his and let him drink in a loud, long cry from the depths of her soul as one of the best orgasms she had ever experienced rushed through her in a torrent of heat and passion. Her inner walls squeezed around Silver's manhood, a pulsing heat that only grew more intense as Blaze's warm juices pooled around his shaft and on the bed between them. The feeling set Silver off as well; he could not hope to resist the overwhelming sensation of the cat contracting so tightly around his member, and he buried his mouth against her shoulder to muffle his own yell as he finished inside of Blaze, his legs shaking beneath hers as his own raging orgasm overruled any other thought for a long while.

Eventually, their climaxes both burned out, leaving the two lovers panting for breath, Silver's arms still wrapped tightly around Blaze. Neither of them could do anything but tremble against one another, the sheer intensity of what they had just experienced a lot to take in after three weeks of separation. Silver kept his head pressed against the side of Blaze's neck, his eyes closed as he came down off the orgasm-induced high, his breath hot as he exhaled against the cat's skin. Blaze could feel a small trickle of his seed flowing out of her, but she didn't mind in the least; she used her own protection so she could give Silver this one great gift- the permission to finish inside her like a true lover.

When her own breathing had finally slowed down, Blaze slowly lifted her hips a little, a subtle message to Silver that the hedgehog took note of. He loosened his tight grip on the cat, allowing her to lift herself off of Silver's waist, and his softening member slid out of her with a quiet, erotic sound as Blaze turned herself around and wrapped her own arms around him. There were no words between them, but none were needed; her lips landed on his in a slow, loving embrace as the hedgehog lay back down on the bed, bringing Blaze with him. They kissed in silence, both of them too emotional to speak right away, and it was a long time before Blaze finally broke off the kiss and raised her head, gazing down tenderly at the hedgehog she lay on.

"Silver the Hedgehog…" she murmured, leaning down and whispering the words into his ear, "as your princess and future ruler, I am commanding you to make every night together from now on as good as tonight was." A wry grin stretched across her face as she spoke, and Silver laughed out loud at the words even as a blush bloomed on his face. The hedgehog was satisfied that he had succeeded in making the night one Blaze would definitely remember.

"As you command, Your Highness," he answered with an exaggerated swagger to his tone, making Blaze chuckle as well before she lay her head down under his chin with a smile, snuggling tightly against the hedgehog. Shifting himself beneath the cat, Silver managed to free the bed sheets from beneath the two of them, pulling the sheets down and then over their legs so that Blaze had him below her and a pair of blankets on top, keeping her nice and warm. Blaze's smile widened at the feeling and she ran a hand across Silver's chest, sliding her fingers through his thick fur there and purring contentedly.

Silver lay back and relaxed, relishing the feeling of her purrs vibrating through his body and her fingers running across his fur. They lay together in warmth and comfort for an indeterminable period, and Blaze's eyes had started getting heavy with weariness when Silver's voice sounded in her ear again. "Blaze, whatever happened these past few weeks… is it going to happen again sometime?" His hands ran along her back and shoulders, massaging them and making the cat relax, but she still stayed attentive, hearing the nervousness that entered Silver's tone. "I realize you don't want to discuss the actual problem, but I just… I just want to know if we'll have to stay apart for a while again."

Blaze sighed and turned her golden gaze on the hedgehog who watched her with trepidation in his eyes. She found herself unable to keep anything from him now, as tired as she was of all the lies and deceit their relationship required. In light of the fact that he had just driven her senseless with pleasure even after she had left him in agonizing silence for so long, it seemed inconsiderate to not let Silver know what was going on.

Ridding herself of her earlier desire to avoid discussing her worries, Blaze took a deep breath and muttered in a low voice, "My father might know about us, Silver."

The hedgehog almost bolted upright in shock before he remembered that his lover was laying right on top of him. Gently, Silver removed both of his arms from Blaze's back and propped himself upright on his elbows, watching Blaze with wide eyes as she slid off of him and rolled onto her side, lying next to him and solemnly returning his stare. "That's why I stayed away the last few weeks," she continued. "I was trying to divert suspicion."

"What… how…" Silver could only stammer as his mind reeled with what she had said. "But we've been so careful! How could he-?"

"Silver," she curtly said, cutting him off. "I don't think it's all that hard to see the difference in how we treat each other, even at court. And we… we smell of each other now, from all our time together. Despite all our precautions…" she shrugged nonchalantly, although concern had her stomach in a tight knot, "…the clues are there for people observant enough to see them."

"Did King Beric actually mention me by name?" Silver asked hurriedly, wondering if everything was coming to an end. "Or does he just suspect that something's up?"

"He only suspects. He invited me to dinner the day after you and I last got together, and started asking me a few questions- mostly about my trips through the country, whether I was learning a lot during my time out there, that sort of thing. I could tell what he was after, though- he kept asking about specific trips and dates, especially the day before, trying to find out if I'd really been where I said I was." She shook her head in annoyance. "Someone must have told him their suspicions about us. There can't be any proof, though, or my father would have openly accused me."

Silver frowned. "So he doesn't know anything for certain."

"Yes, but… Silver, I panicked. I cut myself off from you and just buried myself in work because I was too scared of being found out." Blaze's words were rushed, an explanation and a desperate apology all getting rolled into one as she continued, "I tried not to give my father any more reason to suspect anything, but I think shutting myself away did more harm than good and now I'll probably be under close watch and-"

"Hey, hey, come on," Silver cut her rambling off with a murmur, taking the cat in his arms again and hugging her tightly. "You did what you thought was best for us. That's exactly what you should have done, and I'd never be against it." He did his best to comfort her with his embrace, but the hedgehog's mind was racing. If they were truly under suspicion, it might only be a matter of time before the secret got out.

They obviously couldn't continue meeting like this anymore- even Silver could see that now- but they couldn't just go and admit to King Beric that they'd been sleeping together either. That would be tantamount to throwing every royal doctrine and societal standard in his face, and while neither Silver nor Blaze gave a damn about what most people might think of them, the hedgehog was not about to earn his lover the wrath of the king himself- not to mention the terrible fate that might befall Silver. That left their options few and far between, and for a moment, Silver could not begin to think of a solution to the dilemma.

Blaze's hastened breath was warm against his chest, and her eyes were closed in quiet anguish- Silver could see that the cat was just as lost as he was about what to do. That, more than anything, bothered Silver like an unscratchable itch. Blaze always knew what to do in a given situation, no matter what, and seeing her at a loss for once because of him hurt the hedgehog badly- very badly. His mind whirled in a desperate attempt to find a solution, and in his desperation a crazy, unbelievable, absolutely perfect idea sprang to life. The one and only option they had left.

"Blaze?" the hedgehog asked quietly.

"Yes?" came Blaze's whispered reply.

"Marry me."

For a long moment, there was total silence, so complete that Silver could clearly hear both of their hearts beating in near-unison, and then Blaze raised her head from his chest, her golden eyes gazing upon him with a look of great surprise. Whatever she had been expecting to hear, it clearly hadn't been that. "What did you just say?"

"Marry me." The repeated words were empty of hesitation or doubt; only steel filled the hedgehog's tone as he spoke. "I won't let us be torn apart, but I won't let our lives be ruined for staying together either." He took her hands in his own as they lay together, and the fire in his eyes as he met Blaze's gaze surprised the cat greatly. Silver continued, "I love you too damn much to lose you, Blaze. If you agree to marry me, there's nothing anyone can do about us being together."

As she considered that, Blaze realized he was right; as the throne's heir, there was no legal doctrine prohibiting her from marrying someone of her own choosing, and the marriage couldn't be annulled even by the king himself. The political backlash that would ensue over her marrying for love rather than for an alliance with another nation, however, was something she didn't want to think about. What she did wonder about was just how long this idea had been in Silver's head. "Since when were you trying to find out whether we're able to get married?" she asked in genuine curiosity.

The hedgehog looked away in embarrassment, mumbling, "The… the thought crossed my mind a while ago. I wasn't actually thinking about proposing to you at the time- not that I didn't want to, obviously," he quickly corrected himself, making Blaze smile a little despite her despair over their plight. "Maybe I was just fantasizing about our future and my curiosity got the better of me, I don't know; the point is, I'm serious about this now, Blaze. We need to get married."

"Silver…" Blaze began cautiously. "I know things are really bad at the moment, but marriage… that's a huge step to take just to get out of this mess we're in. I'm sure there are other ways for us to deal with the problem besides-"

"No, this isn't…" Silver shook his head in frustration, his need to make her understand what this was truly about getting the better of him. "This isn't just about us avoiding persecution, Blaze. I don't want to be the guy you sneak off to meet at night anymore, someone you have to hide from your parents and the world, a person you feel guilty about being with." His arms slipped around Blaze once more, pulling her close to the hedgehog so he could lean his head against hers, and now his eyes met hers with a determined stare.

"I want this from now on," Silver stated, hugging the cat tightly for emphasis. "I want a future for us where you can go out into the world with me at your side, where you can call me your husband and still hold your head up." Blaze was wide-eyed in astonishment at what she was hearing, but Silver wasn't done yet. "Getting to spend the rest of my life with you is all I could ever wish for- if you'll have me. You've always known what's best for us, though, and if you don't think this is a good idea-" the hedgehog swallowed quickly, a hard knot of anxiety forming in his stomach- "just say so, and I'll never bring it up again, I promise."

Blaze found herself unable to form a sentence, the confused flux of emotions that Silver's words had subjected her to rendering her speechless. Trying to speak, she uttered, "I… that's not…" She licked her lips and finally managed to force out, "Silver… how could I possibly say no to this? After all that, you really think I can deny you?"

The hedgehog blanched, certain he'd accidentally guilt-tripped her into agreeing. "Wait, no, I didn't… Blaze, I wasn't trying to make you think you have to marry me. Please don't think that; you need to decide on your own if-"

"Oh, shut up, you fool," she cut him off in exasperation, her amusement at Silver's backtracking letting her finally find her voice. "Of course I'll marry you. You make it sound like a hard decision- like I'd ever think the two of us being together would be a bad thing. Come on, Silver, you're smarter than that."

The hedgehog blinked in surprise, her admonishment putting an end to his rambling; instead of sputtering out something foolish, he simply asked quietly, "So… you truly do want to…?"

"Obviously," Blaze murmured. "Now come here, guardsman." She leaned in for another kiss, taking Silver's face in her hands and pulling him into a sweet embrace that lasted a long while. The hedgehog was somewhat disoriented, trying to process the fact that Blaze had agreed to marry him, and that was very difficult to accomplish while her lips kept capturing his, so Silver decided to stop thinking for a bit and just lose himself in her love.

By the time the kiss was finished, both of the lovers were rather breathless, and Silver could feel the weight of his weariness tempting him to fall asleep. He had no idea how long they had been together that evening- any sense of time had quickly been lost as they made love- but he could see his own tired state reflected in Blaze's eyes, and so he quietly muttered, "Maybe we should get some rest. We've both got places to be tomorrow."

The cat sighed and shifted against Silver, snuggling close up to him so he could hold her ever more tightly. "I suppose you're right. Responsibilities and all that… as well as making sure no one realizes we were here."

"Not for much longer, though." The hedgehog's statement confused Blaze for a moment until he clarified, "There's no reason we can't let your family know about this tomorrow, is there? You know, just get it done right away?" A mixed look of embarrassment and hope spread across his face. "Maybe… we can start thinking about a date for the wedding? Or-"

His enthusiasm, adorable and infectious, made Blaze laugh and blush at the same time, and she gave him one more quick kiss, silencing the hedgehog, before turning back over and closing her eyes. "We'll figure it out in the morning, Silver. Let's go to sleep."

"…do you think we should go for an engagement first?"

"Silver…"

"Right, right," the hedgehog quickly uttered, noting her weary tone. "Going to sleep." He hugged Blaze as she settled her warm body against his own, and his eyes slowly shut as sleep started to cloud his mind.

Before he drifted away, though, Silver whispered one last time into the princess' ear, "I love you."

And Blaze fell asleep with the ghost of a smile on her face.

(Well, that was fun. I did truly enjoy writing this story even more than By Your Side; more heartfelt and personal stories are always easier for me to sit down and just type away on. I'm going to let this story end here, though, because I'm satisfied with what's been done and I have other stories I need to get to work on. Thank you for reading A Future for Us, and I hope you all enjoyed it!)