Little Secrets

Winter had seemed to arrive early. The snow had begun to fall in buckets for the last two weeks and showed little sign of clearing. From his dormitory barrack, Silver perched at the window, taken by the falling snow. The flakes began to build up against the grates and sill of the window decorating it with white. The academy barracks were freezing cold, at least to him. I don't know how the heck the others can stand winter here... He pondered, watching the snow fall. But they all seem to be built for winter, with their coats and what not. He always bundled up in extra sweaters and jackets thanks to his lack of a winter skin.

He watched intently through the window as townspeople hurried from place to place, cars stopping and honking loudly. The barracks were farther away from the main roads and city, but only by a large field and the main building; and that was just one of the dormitories, there was another one and the knights-in-residency barracks. Silver smirked as he watched two younger Solans stop and marvel at the snow before their mother frowned and took them by their arms and hurried away. It's so strange to see people get excited about the seasons... He thought.

Culture shock didn't even begin to describe the feeling Silver felt when he had arrived in the Sol Dimension. After a slight time travel mishap and a quest taken to the extreme, the hedgehog had been reluctant to return to his time period. In response, his new friend (and not to mention princess of the dimension) offered him a home in the kingdom... Not to mention assistance with honing his strange powers. Enrolled in the Sol Academy of Knighthood by the crown princess and his new best friend, Blaze, Silver found himself oddly out of place with the new society.

But Blaze was there to help him, ready to tackle every problem or question he had; from Solan pop culture to traditional ceremonies, she had all the answers. Like the changing of seasons. In the future, it was seen as nothing more than something to put on a calendar. However, in the Kingdom of Sol, it was a cause for celebration. The seasons change was like every holiday combined plus New Year's. Each season, the inhabitants would come together from all corners of the dimension and celebrate the coming solstice or equinox.

Each celebration lasted 24 hours, going through the day and night. Solstices took place at dusk, when the moon ruled and equinoxes would rule the dawn. Either way you looked at it, the season celebration was just an excuse to stay home and recuperate after a painful party night.

The entire academy had been given the day off in order to prepare for the ceremony. All knights were required to perform and stand guard at the sunset before the princess blessed the next season. After wards, the higher ranking knights, instructors and nobles would go to parties, soirées and dinners. The lower ranking knights, squires and pages would slink off to the rowdy parties and events. Silver himself would be attending a gala hosted on behalf of the royal family.

Royals... Come to think of it, it's been a while since I've seen Blaze. The hedgehog thought. He shifted against the window sill seat, turning back to face his writing desk. His brow furrowed and he crossed his arms. He tried thinking back to the last time he and Blaze had connected, aside from sparring or a brief 'hello' in the hallways of the academy or palace. It had been some time since they'd seen each other. Then again, preparations for the seasonal shifts had been the responsibility of the royal family for thousands of years now.

"Twenty minutes until all knights are required to be present for the winter solstice!" A voice bellowed through the halls of the academy. Silver shifted, sitting up as he glanced outside again. The sky had begun to turn a soft purple, the sun beginning to set. The hedgehog stood, turning to his closet to prepare for the ceremony.

I'm Blaze had been in preparation for the solstice for the last twelve hours. She had been woken at the crack of dawn, thrown into a bath, then spent a ridiculous amount of time to get her fur styled into a delicate bun. Truthfully spoken, she hated the seasonal change only because of the obscene amount of materialistic style that had been put on it. Since the departure of her parents - perhaps even before that - the seasonal changes had become focused around show. It would take forever to count how many times she had been asked what she was going to wear on the equinox or solstice...

After being smothered in makeup, hair products and doused in lily-scented perfume, Blaze had escaped her stylist team and hid herself in the throne room. She entered, her heels clacking against the floor and silencing against the ornate rug. Upon the walls were portraits of her royal ancestors, all posed delicately. Her eyes trailed to the portrait above the grand throne - the one of her parents and a kitten-version of herself, only days old. Beside it was a portrait of herself, aged 16, holding the Jewelled Sceptre with a tiara on her head.

Beside the throne sat the Sceptre, sparkling in the light. She eyed the artefact, placed carefully on a pedestal, covered by a glass dome. The princess recalled when Sonic the Hedgehog and she had recovered the sceptre from Dr. Nega and Eggman. But her escape had been only momentary, as her stylists, all kind and humble, had found her again. Regrettably, Blaze had followed the crew back upstairs to her dressing room and let them all poke and prod her again, fixing any and all imperfections.

She hid a frown as the main stylist cinched her up and procured her outfit, fawning over it. It was a floor length violet dress with lace sleeves and a v-neck. Over top her dress was a white cloak with intricate beading. Just when she thought the outfit was complete, one crew member draped a pink scarf with the royal insignia embroidered into it around her neck. Before the crew could do anymore alterations or preening, Blaze excused herself to catch her ride.

The ride was silent, only herself inside a lonely carriage. She kneaded her hands, frowning as she watched the palace fade away and the higher class neighbourhoods take over. The sun began falling rapidly as they near the water front where the ceremony would be held. The carriage held back, waiting farther away from the ceremonial stage in an underpass, farther away from the public. Thankfully, she had a connection to the ceremony - a television in the back of the carriage.

She watched as the camera zoomed in on the entrance of the Solan military. The army marched through, stood for the anthem and saluted the Sol insignia. Once at ease, the knights made their appearance. A small group of men and women entered the grounds, marching. The captain of the royal guard, a mink in blue, called out orders as they followed. They were the powerful knights of Sol. Unlike neighboring kingdoms, Sol had always had the royal guard, no matter the era. They were a cultural mark for the kingdom - without them, it would be empty. Every royal Sol who took the throne gave a portion of their life to the knighthood. Blaze herself had been a knighted dame on top of monarch before age 12. She frequented the academy to hone her fighting skills.

The princess watched as the knights filed through, saluting the kingdom and performed a master trick. A lynx finished producing several bushels of the royal flower and securing it with her bow and arrow. She bowed and hurried off the stage. Blaze's eyes narrowed as she watched a familiar hedgehog appear on the screen. The camera followed him as he secured his grey gauntlets around his wrists. Silver wore his armour - a special occasion. His shoes had been shielded in silver armor with teal tips, and like in training had bound his two quills together so that his mask could better fit around his head. The psychokinetic hedgehog saluted the Sol insignia and gripped his weapon, a blade, in his left hand.

Silver walked across the stage, levitating and then hitting then hitting the ground with his open palm. He dropped to the ground, spinning on his heel as he activated his psychokenesis. Using his powers, her gathered boxes that were stationed in front of the stage and built a tower, climbing up it as it teetered over the audience. Blaze rolled her eyes, smiling as she watched Silver smile and wink. The camera zoomed out as he summoned his powers again, using his psychokenesis to raise the first few rows of the audience in the air. People screamed and squealed as the hedgehog lowered them before leaping off his boxes and bowing down as the audience erupted in applause. The princess could hear the crowds yelling from inside her carriage. Blaze scoffed, shaking her head. "Really Silv?" She asked, a smirk playing on her lips.

The remaining members of the guard performed, but none drew quite the response that Silver got. Soon, the carriage pulled towards the ceremonial arch and halted. The military entered the scene, a commanding officer calling out orders for the soldiers. Raising their swords, they performed an endless line of crossed blades. "Residents of the Kingdom of Sol, please arise for the Sovereign of Sol, Princess Blaze!" A voice bellowed.

The crowds rose to their feet as the princess's ride, a beautiful white carriage, slid to a stop in front of the crowds of people. Onlookers cheered and waved at Blaze as she appeared out of her carriage. She waved to her people, walking down a small staircase. She passed under the cascade of swords. The knights had all taken their places, in front of the stage where the boxes had been. They all kneeled on the left knee, right hand dug into the ground. Their faces downcast, weapons before them.

Blaze passed by them, approaching the stage and mounting it. The audience returned to their seats, watching their princess intently. She stood in front of the crowds of Solans, the sun melting behind her. The crowd hushed as she gave a soft smile. Her amber eyes glimmered as she held a hand to the crowds. "Please, arise fair knights of Sol." She commanded.

The knights stood, bearing their weapon, their eyes focused all on her. "The Kingdom of Sol thanks you for your dutiful service to the crown. May you all succeed in your lives and fulfill all your deepest wishes." She said.

"Thank you, Princess." They said in unison.

The Princess turned her attention to the crowds of people. "Fellow Solans!" She called. "We have gathered once again to bring in the coming season! Although it will be cold, let us all hope that it will give way to a beautiful and plentiful spring!" The crowds cheered as the received the Jeweled Sceptre from an attendant and raised it into the air. "With the setting sun, give way to new life and new prosperity." She commanded. "Seasons, continue to nurture and care for us with your ethereal spirit. Let us continue to grow and create to thrive!"

The audience stayed quiet for a moment, watching as Blaze pointed the Scepter towards the setting sun. With careful movement, she followed the setting of the sun as it vanished beneath the horizon. The crowds cheered loudly as the Princess twirled, using her powers to ignite up the torches that lined the water front. She settled down before turning to the crowds. "May the celebration begin!" She proclaimed, crowds emitting cheered as waved and returned to her carriage.

The thing about the seasonal festival was that it was very divided in terms of class. The nobles and higher class inhabitants would attend the nicer parties and festivals. The townspeople... well, they had the public events that varied on the season.

Blaze herself was not one for the snobby parties that seemed to drag on. When she was a kitten, her parents would permit her to appear for a while, smile and greet people, but after an hour or so, she would be free to play in her chambers or explore the outside with a chaperone or friend. But now she was required to stand, greet everyone and be present at the noble parties and such. Thankfully, the royal family would not host any gatherings until the summer, when the princess's birthday took place. All that would be required of her was to stand and look pretty. However, it drained her - too many people to smile at and greet and chitchat with. But it was her duty to stand and greet all those stuck up rich people who placed themselves higher than the lower class.

She was announced to the grand hall in one of her advisor's mansions. She took residence up over by the windows, a long line accumulating to greet the crown princess. Blaze tiredly welcomed the never-ending line of people bringing their seasonal greetings. She waited atop a small pedestal that stood about a foot from the hall's floor. The greeting was all routine - bow her head, smile, receive their greetings and wish the same and repeat ad nauseam. After a good hour of greetings, the dance began. In the corner, a small orchestra began to play music for dancing, a singer took the microphone and crooned away. She was rushed by a group of nobles, all seeking a dance.

The night passed slowly, Blaze dancing for what seemed like ever. After the third dance with a young noble boy, she escaped into the hallways of the mansion, searching for an exit to get some air.

"Blaze," A hand touched her shoulder. She whirled around, seeing Silver at her side. A smile came across her lips. "Silver, you were invited?" She asked, slightly shocked by his appearance. Generally, knights were excluded from upper class parties, save for the very high class knights and captains.

He slid back towards a wall where a painting sat. He wore a fine black and teal tailcoat with a matching bow tie. "I'm not really supposed to be here. One of my buddies thought it would be fun to crash this party. It seems like a real snore in there."

"Well, you'd be correct." She said, walking towards him. She glanced around, making sure that no one was around. Although she was the princess, she couldn't excuse an uninvited lower class at a party of this magnitude. "What I wouldn't give to be away from here."

"Well, why don't we?" He asked.

"Excuse me?"

"You've said hello, right? I'm sure you danced a little, too. You've done your duties, right?"

The cat's tail swished as she thought. "You're probably sick of all those people, aren't you?" He asked. He rubbed the back of his neck. "You were probably going to sneak off and get some air..."

"You know me too well," Blaze said.

Silver shrugged. "It helps when I can't get my mind off of you." He blurted out. The knight and princess blushed red, averting their gazes from each other. "I-I-I MEAN YOU'RE JUST SUCH A GOOD FRIEND AND IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE SAW EACH OTHER-"

"Y-Yeah, you're a great friend too..." Blaze trailed off. She attempted to regain the conversation's balance. "Your display was very interesting."

"Display?" He asked, high voice a pitch higher than usual.

"Your trick? You lifted several rows of Solans in the air."

"Oh yeah." He laughed nervously. "You saw that?"

The cat nodded. "It was quite the spectacle." She said, looking at her gloved hands

"Yeah well... Training has helped a little." He said, blushing. "I liked your speech."

"Oh," she said. "Thank you. It's the same every season."

There was a brief silence between the two for a moment. Blaze's gaze narrowed. "If we were to see each other...tonight." She said carefully. "What were your plans?"

The hedgehog blushed more, shrugged. "Uh, whatever you want?"

"I want to hear what you want to do." She insisted.

The hedgehog was silent for a moment. ""I-I was gonna go skating for a bit. See if the rinks weren't too busy."

"Might I join you?" She asked.

"O-Of course," Silver said.

Blaze took his hands in hers. Silver met her gaze, eyes wide. "Give me a moment. Stay right here." She said. The hedgehog nodded as she slipped away. She collected her cloak from the closet service and found him once again. The two hurried slipped out of the mansion, hurrying along the wet pavement.

They slowed down as they walked along the sidewalks of the upperclass residences. Keeping pace with each other, they turned towards the centre of the city. Music pumped out of the centre, filling the air. Silver stole a glance at the princess, muzzle growing red.

"Shall we try the public rinks?" She asked.

Silver shrugged. "Sure."

The princess nuzzled into her scarf as Silver spoke. "So... You think it's going to be a cold winter?"

Blaze gave a smirk. She could tell how awkward he got when he was didn't know what to say. "The Emeralds predict that it will be like a deep freeze." She stated.

"Ah... Well I better look for warmer clothes." He muttered, rubbing his hands together.

"You know Silver," the Princess said. "You don't have to force any conversation upon us. I'm fine with silence."

"I just thought it was awkward," he murmured. The princess blushed, eyes kept to the ground.

The two came up to the rink, seeing couple upon couple skating on the ice. Music filled the air as a turntable sat on a snow-dusted patio, a DJ spinning tracks for the skaters to enjoy. "It looks full..." Blaze murmured.

"Dang." Silver said. "Well, I guess there's other stuff we can do. I mean, if you still want to join me."

She shook her head. "I already ditched a royal party to be with you." She said. "Besides, it would be rude to say I'd hang out with you and then leave."

Silver rocked on his heels, fiddling in his pocket for spare change. "Well, for your inconvenience, how about a hot chocolate?'

The cat glanced at Silver, who gave her a nervous smile. She nodded. "Only if you're having one."

The two waited in line for a few moments. Blaze eventually drifted away, looking at the ice sculptures nearby. There were seasonal displays like snowflakes and snowmen, then there were the patriotic ones, like the Sol insignia and carvings of the past king. Then there were ones of simple flames, which Blaze casually smiled at and admired.

"Cool sculptures," He admired as Silver joined her.

She nodded, the hedgehog handing her the cup. She took a small sip from it, steam billowing up, hitting her muzzle. He pointed to another one, a few metres away from the two. Blaze's eyes fell upon the sculpture. "I think that's you." He said.

The princess walked closer towards the sculpture, noticing the subtle and careful curves that had been made. It depicted her, standing solemnly in her usual tailcoat and trousers with her left hand reaching out. Clutched in her right was the Jeweled Scepter. Her expression looked yearning and longing. Her eyes were half lidded and her lips gently curved into a smile.

"I think it looks beautiful." Silver admired before he realized what he'd said. "I-I meant the work! It must've taken a long time to make it so smooth! But that's not to say you're not too bad lookin' yourself! Heheheh..." The hedgehog nervously stammered as he rubbed his the back of his neck. Both himself and the princess averted their gaze from the ice maiden and began to walk away.

The air began to clear between the two. Silver eventually opened up the paper bag he had been carrying, pulling out a small pastry knot, sprinkled with white and brown powder. Blaze sniffed, her gaze darting towards the bag. "What's that?" The cat asked.

"Oh, a cinnatwist." He said, unravelling some offering some to her. "Want some? It's real good."

The princess ripped of a little piece of the knot. She bit into it as the hedgehog looked at her expectantly. It was very sweet and sugary. The princess chewed and swallowed. "You like it?" He asked.

Blaze nodded. "Can I?" She started as the hedgehog gave her a smile and ripped her off a larger piece. She nibbled on the twist as the two walk through town.

They passed a gazebo where a group of people danced while a band played. "Funny. It seems I can't escape these things," She joked. Her gaze slid to his. "Want to dance?"

"Uh, sure?" Silver said, finishing his half of the cinnatwist and downing the rest of his hot chocolate. The two walked towards the gazebo and stood under the patio. The band began an upbeat tune as the two began to dance. Neither of them really knew any great dance moves - Blaze had been through years of ballroom dancing and gymnastics for grace and balance, while Silver had barely passed the mandatory dance curricular at the Knights' Academy. So instead of following the rest of the crowd's dance moves, they instead just swayed with the music.

It was pretty enjoyable for both. They found themselves moving pretty well in time. At one point, Silver as taken Blaze's hands and twirled her, gaining a chuckle of excitement from the feline herself. But the track soon ended, prompting the inevitable minute speech from the lead singer and those few words that could quickly change a fun friendly dance into a very awkward romantic situation for two close friends.

"All right ladies and gents, we're gonna slow it down a little. Everybody grab a partner and get ready to dance!"

People shuffled to find partners as the two were forced together. Blaze blushed as Silver was pushed towards her. They stood at an awkward closeness. Her chest met his, their gold and amber gazes locked for a brief moment. That unknowing thought of Should I? Would this be crossing a boundary? What if I did? entering their minds at the same time. Silver he chuckled awkwardly as he attempted to create a distance from his friend. "Uh, wanna see if there's something else to do?" He asked, nervousness lingering in his tone.

Blaze nodded as she took his hand, leading him out of the crowd. As they exited the sea of dancing couplets, Silver noticed that Blaze's hand was still in his. The two stopped by a park bench, underneath a street lamp. Both of them were blushing a bright crimson, thanks to the awkwardness in the gazebo. Their gazes locked for a moment; Blaze cleared her throat. Her eyes lingered to their interconnected hands. "Do you still want to skate?" She asked.

Silver shrugged, his gaze following hers. "S-Sure. I'm up for anything." He said.

"C'mon." She said, squeezed his hand gently.

Expecting to receive a squeeze back, his hand left her grasp. Blaze glanced up at him, seeing her friend levitating with his strange power. He shot her a smile, receiving a small curve of her lips in return.

The city blasted by in the blink of an eye. Before they'd realized it, they'd passed through the nightlife, business, educational and residential districts. The two hurried through a large field, leading up to the royal palace.

Blaze stopped running, wiping her shoes and coat off from any unexpected snow or dirt from running. She began up the steps. Upon hearing her own footsteps, she turned around, noticing Silver standing approximately 3 feet from the palace staircase.

"What's the matter?" She asked.

Silver shook his head. "A knight has to be invited into the castle." He said. "I'd be breaking code, otherwise."

"Oh. My mistake." Blaze murmured. Again, there was the Royal Code and its regulations, ready to annoy her. The princess bowed her head. "Sir Silver, the pure Knight of Sol and Guardian to the Kingdom, I, Princess Blaze, request that you accompany me into the Royal Palace as my guest for the remainder of night."

Silver dropped to the Solan salute, head bowed. "Princess Blaze, it is with great honour and pleasure that I accept your noble request." He answered. The hedgehog stood up, breaking his salute and hurried up the steps. "We have a rink prepared in the garden." She said, before entering the castle.

Silver had been in a few times before, but every time, the castle seemed to get greater and more beautiful than before. Blaze hurried past him and through the great hallway, veering left. She opened a closet, retrieving two pairs of skates. "Hopefully these'll fit." She said, handing the larger pair to the hedgehog.

He took them before following the cat. She ducked out of a door that led to a large, beautiful deck with a polished stone floor. It had been dusted with snow earlier in the day and had mostly likely shoveled before the two had arrived.

"Darn." Blaze murmured as she stopped on the last step. A several metres before the staircase, a small lake of water sat. "I suppose it hasn't been properly cared for yet."

The hedgehog glanced at the lake, his gaze narrowing. "Wait. Let me see if I can..." He trailed off.

The hedgehog shut his eyes, his brow furrowing in concentration. His hands knotted into fists as the small lake began to freeze. Ice began to spread over the surface of the water. Blaze stood in wonder as Silver focused. She had always known he was powerful, but not this much of an out-of-the-box thinker.

"How much... ugh... do I have to go?" He grunted.

Blaze hurried to the ice, knocking against it. It didn't crack or split and sounded solid. "You're done!" She called to the hedgehog.

"Good!" He said with a breath of relief. His hands fell to his sides as he sat down on of one of the steps and began to untie his boots.

Blaze shook her head as she joined him. "I can't believe you did that." She said in disbelief. "Are cyrokinetic?"

He shook his head. "Still just psychokinetic." He said. "It does a lot though. Power of thought I guess..."

"It's amazing." Blaze marvelled. "I'm impressed."

The academy's just helped with mental focus.

"Neither can I." He said. "I thought it was long shot."

"It was very impressive." The feline sat as she slipped on her skates. She laced them up, standing and stepping towards the little lake. She quickly lost one, resulting in an awkward hop back to the staircase.

Silver got to his feet, retrieved the skate and handed it to her. "Want a hand?" He offered.

The cat blushed as Silver stopped to his knees and slid her foot into the skate. He pulled the laced taut and tied them in a neat bow. "There you go." He said with a smile.

"Thanks." She said, walking towards the pond. Her skates met the ice, and she pushed off. She was faster than fast on those blades. She did a lap, circled to the middle before stretching her hands outwards. With her momentum, she twirled in a perfect circle before squatting and extending one skate outwards. She circled a few more times before returning to her full height and doing another lap.

Silver watched in awe as she skated. He quickly laced his skates, waddling towards the pond. "Freezing the water was nothing compared to your skating!" He exclaimed.

"Huh?" Blaze murmured as she slowed to a stop. "Oh, thank you."

"You're amazing, Blaze!" Silver exclaimed as he teetered on his skates. "I wish I was that good!"

"Well I'm sure you're an excellent skater too, Silver." The cat said.

"Heh, don't hold your breath..." He muttered. He stepped awkwardly onto the pond, his arms jutting out in front of him. Silver teetered back and forth as he rockily slid across the ice.

She noticed his awkward stance. He stared up at the princess with wide golden eyes and nervous smirk. "Have you ever skated before?"

"A couple times." Silver said as he carefully pressed onwards, albeit slowly. "I never said I was good."

The cat shook her head. "Here, take my hands." Blaze said, stretching her arms out to him.

His brow knit in concentration, gnawing on his lip. With his knees bent, he carefully slid towards the cat. He attempted to push himself forwards, but instead, caught the pick of his skates in the ice. As he went to pull his foot away, he found himself face down on the ice. Blaze stared at him for a moment. She stifled a laugh by covering her mouth, but it wasn't enough to hush herself.

The hedgehog glanced up at his howling friend. Blaze had almost doubled over, clutching her stomach. The hedgehog frowned before smirking. He shut his eyes and activated his psychokenesis. Using his powers, he plucked Blaze off of the ground and raised her into the air with his mind. She shrieked, her laughter fading as she levitated three feet above the pond.

"SILVER!" She screeched through laughter kicking her legs. "Stop it!"

"Stop what? I have no idea what you're talking about Blaze." The hedgehog coyly asked. He rested his head on his left hand and wiggled his fingers in the air. A smirk crossed his face.

"Stop using your psychokenesis!" She laughed.

Silver quickly brought his hand down, lowering Blaze from his grip. She landed on his back, eliciting a yowl from the hedgehog. The cat immediately blushed a deep shade of red and scrambled off of him. "I'm sorry!" She exclaimed as Silver waved her off.

He rubbed his back, shaking his head. "It was my fault." He muttered. "Stupid psychic powers. I don't know my limit."

The cat gingerly touched his arm. "Hey, don't beat yourself up," she said.

"But I could've really hurt you." Silver said, his gaze trailing to the frozen pond. "I don't know my limit. These powers feel like a curse rather than a blessing..."

"Hey."

Silver's gaze remained downcast. "Silver." Blaze said, her voice soft. "I know how you feel."

The hedgehog's gaze wavered a little, shifting momentarily to her heels. "I feel like it's a marking too. But it's not. It's a gift." She flicked her palm open, creating a small flame in the centre.

Silver looked up to it as she gave him a small smile. "I know it's hard sometimes. I know you're singled out from the other knights, but you've got a gift." She said. "And it's going to change the world."

"You're just saying that." He muttered, shaking his head.

"Am not. You came here to hone your powers. When you first arrived, you were, to be frank, a mess. But now, look at you! You've brought a crowd of people to their feet, a frozen a lake and done so much more with this." She said, pointing to his chest. Blaze stood up on her skates. "Now c'mon. You wanted to skate and we're gonna do just that."

Silver glanced up to meet her golden gaze. The moon shone brightly behind her as she reached out to him. A small smile graced her lips as she spoke: "That's an order as princess."

The hedgehog took her hands, clutching them tight as he wobbled on his skates. Blaze gently pushed on her right one, allowing herself to propel backwards. Silver followed closely in suit, focused on his feet.

They circled the rink a few times: Blaze leading and Silver following. After sometime, Blaze had loosened her grip on his hands, continuing to do so with every lap. Eventually she had let go of his hands, but remained in arm's reach. The two skated and skated all throughout the night. Blaze told stories of her first times skating whilst Silver talked of his future and his quest to hone his powers.

By the middle of the night, the snow had begun to pelt down in hail. The two had to evacuate back into the castle. Carrying their shoes, the two stumbled up the steps and into the warm refuge.

"You've improved." Blaze said as she sat down on a velvet futon and began to remove her skates. "Congrats!"

The hedgehog joined her, sitting beside her. He smiled and nudged her arm. "I had a good teacher." He said.

Blaze blushed a little as she slid her feet out of her skates, resting them on a rack. She stood up, glancing out the French doors. The sound of the hail was deafening.

"The festivities must be canceled." Silver muttered as he undid his laces and removed his skates.

"Or moved indoors." She said, crossing her arms and turning to him. "C'mon."

The cat began to move out of the back door mudroom. Silver stumbled out of his boots and followed her. She walked down a hallway as Silver caught up to her. "I don't want you going out there while it's like that. You can stay the night."

Silver blushed as Blaze stopped in front of a door. "There should be fresh linens and toiletries inside. There's a bathroom if you want to... Clean up." She said.

"Thanks." Silver said.

"My pleasure." The cat said as she removed her scarf.

A silence fell between them as they both blushed. It was quite awkward, because neither one knew what to say. The cat gave him a smile.

"I hope you sleep well." He said. The hedgehog leaned towards her and brushed his lips against her muzzle. Blaze's cheeks heated as her eyes widened.

Did he just...? She thought to herself. He pulled away, turning red as a beet. Sweet Sol, he did. She thought.

"U-Uh to you too, S-Silver." The princess said as she nodded curtly and walked hurriedly away. She continued down the hallway until she heard his door shut closed. When she was sure he was inside and couldn't hear, she ran up stairs and paced in her chambers for the rest of the night.

Her hand flew to where he kissed her. Her cheeks burned. Her heart pounded. Her hands were shaky. She muttered to herself, attempting to calculate what it had meant, if he meant it platonically or romantically. But no matter how she approached it, everything remained the same. For Blaze, the princess of the Sol Kingdom and Guardian of the Sol Emeralds, had fallen in love.

A/N:

Silvaze is a thing i do, right? Sorry for the lame title ive just been knee deep in a shadikal bender... i guess u could call it "someone pls help silver w tips on how to b around ur crush n not embarrass urself"

Context: the comics stated somewhere that sol dimension doesnt have a winter holiday n instead celebrate the seasonal changes n i was Archie comics trash (still am), loved the idea n ran w it like 2 yrs ago. I saw it in my archives n thought "yeah ru no one likes shadikal give them The Good Shit For once" so I broke it down n reworked it over the last few weeks... The knights thing appeared in gossamer if u read that tripe... this is set before that mess. I headcanoned that the sol dimension used for knights bc of culture n tradition (its just an excuse for me to write au fics abt silvaze fight me) consider this a prelude to gossamer

um so some good news: on the side between school n fics n crying over shadikal i was writing a story w my ocs n on sat i finally finished it after 6 months! It was taking priority over everything else so now that its off my plate ill be able to focus on school and fics... nice. The plan is to finish peacemaker n shards of hope n then go back into the 100 000 word abyss n edit it

i jsut feel kinda gross tho too, really umotivated rn. I think it's bc i finished the draft. i s2g if finishing peacemaker does the same thing to me I'm gonna go on a bender n keep writing fics for them until im 6ft under,

thanks for reading~!