*checks time* Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Got this up just in time. Enjoy this cute and romantic piece!

SONIC

Two days until Valentine's Day.

Now, you probably don't expect a guy like me to know that. But trust me, I've been getting the countdown to the romantic holiday sung to me each day. And no matter how far I run away from that girl, the sound of her sweet voice saying "20 more days!" , "18 more days, Sonic!" , "Just two weeks~!" has stayed with me even now. A girl like Amy Rose was unforgettable anyway, but the periodic reminder of her upcoming favorite holiday kept her in my thoughts. Perhaps that was her plan? If so, kudos, 'cause it was working.

Even as I sit in this bright and cheery meadow, the grass at a length to obstruct my view of the horizon, I think of her. I see her in the shapes and swirls of the sky, spinning to create cotton candy clouds. Floral scents filled my nose, reminding me of her sweet aroma. I think of her wide-eyed wonder, her cheerful attitude, her ability to see the best in everyone. It's why, seemingly hours later, I sit in this same field. The world had done without me today, as I'd just sat in a meadow on the other side of the world, unable to get Amy off my mind.

The pink sunset couldn't hold a candle to her shade, but it made me wish that she was next to me. And I could enjoy this all with Amy by my side.

But why not, why couldn't she be here? My heart was swelling, a painful organ in my chest beating in ache to hold her next to me. How could I tell her all that I felt, all that I thought, all that I wanted? Feelings and stuff came easy to her, and while it was all there in my head, I couldn't get it out. I was hesitating and I never hesitate and I wanted to just 'do the thing' like I always did, but I couldn't with her.

It was like, the whole world was one thing in my brain, and she was something else, something separate, precious. The world was my playground, mine to explore and conquer - but Amy wasn't something to defeat, something to take or even win over. The girl loved me already, and I consider myself lucky, but at the same time so confused.

Amy stood out like a lovely rose in a cold world, and I didn't know what to do with her. So that's why I ran. Today though, today, 2 days until The Holiday, and I couldn't run anymore. I couldn't face her either, which is why I'm in a field on the other side of the world. 'Cause I knew if I were anywhere near her I'd have to blurt out all the thoughts in my head, thoughts my super speed couldn't leave behind. The bursting in my heart followed me around like a ghost, haunting my mind.

I had to do something for her, on Valentine's Day. Not only because I couldn't bear the thought of her pretty face so disappointed and sad like last year, but because I didn't want to be like this anymore. It had to change, I had to take action of some kind. I just didn't know what; I was living proof of my own ineptitude at romance. If it were easy I wouldn't done it by now. What do most people do on Valentine's Day -? No, that was the wrong question - puh, I'm not most people. Ames was going to get a nice day, Sonic style. I'd take her on a date, and show her the world, and then…

Then we'd look at the stars together and she'd tell me all about our horoscope. And I would think it was all hokey, but I wouldn't care because of how her eyes lit up when she talked, and her cute nose moved with her mouth, and I'd finally give in the urge to kiss her and make her night.

Ugh, yes, I wanted to do all that. So why couldn't I, what was wrong with me? It was like there was a part of me missing, that hadn't been born with the romance gene. I wanted to treat Amy well, but I was so clumsy when it came to delicate stuff like that. I wanted to do all those things, but as many times as I tried, I couldn't. I'd failed, I'd seen how vulnerable and weak it made me and I ran… I hated to admit I was bad at anything, but I hated lying to myself even more.

I suck at romance.

Still. I wanna do something. I'd spent the whole day staring at the sky to think of what to do, but I'm not good at that either. Not good at waiting, and the fact that The Holiday was still so far away was killing me. I wish it'd just come and I could get it over with. So, how could I say a thing without saying it? How could I do a thing without doing it? How could I let her know that everywhere I went, I thought of her? The whole world was at my fingertips, but she slipped out of mine.

A gift? I wasn't much of a material guy, give me my sneaks and I was honestly good to go - but maybe, maybe I could give Amy something to hold onto. I tossed out ideas only to strike through each one. A flower from the wild would die, some the normal romance stuff just wouldn't cut it. I'd known Amy since we were both kids, and at this point she was a permanent fixture in my life, if anything could be. I wanted to give her something that would last. Something to show that no matter where I went, I thought of her.

Maybe I couldn't give her a thing from each place, and maybe I was too chicken to take her to each place. But what if I could capture how each place made me feel about her? What if I took a picture of each place and gave her those…?

It was like the lightbulb came on suddenly; that was perfect. I pulled out my phone and quickly scrolled through my recent pics, my smile growing. Maybe she'd understand all that I couldn't speak…. What did they say, a picture is worth a thousand words? I was bettin' on that being the truth. I somehow saw Amy in each of the beautiful nature scenes I carried around with me. Heat grew on my muzzle as I found myself wishing I was scrolling through pictures of her instead.

I rapidly shook my head, and pocketed my phone. After a quick glance at the setting sun, I knew I didn't have much time. Heh, that never stopped me before. I had a renewed sense of purpose and confidence. I wasn't about to fail Valentine's Day this time.

…~...

AMY

Ever since I was a little girl, I've always loved Valentine's Day. It's not that the date itself was anything special, it was more the idea of having a whole day dedicated to love that made look forward to it each year. Despite how much I loved the idea of the holiday, I haven't had good experiences… over the years, I'd kind of learned not to expect too much from Sonic. Each time I let my hopes up, he let me down. Despite all the hints and reminders that I'd been dropping each day, Sonic would probably "forget" about the holiday. I tried very hard to be positive, but my heart had taken a lot from my unrequited crush.

Then again, as I got ready for the day, I felt the magic of the holiday once again. It was Valentine's Day, the day for love! I slipped on my holiday dress - bright red and pink, with hearts embroidered on the hem. I completed my outfit with a puffy coat, warm leggings, and fur-lined boots. My makeup was more bold than usual, with magenta eyeshadow and eyeliner, thick mascara, and a heart pattern on my cheek just for fun. I also used a curler on my quills, letting them bounce on top of my shoulders. As I looked at myself in the mirror, I had to blush a bit. I was all dressed up and looked super cute. But the excitement turned bittersweet, and I pouted a bit, hoping that I wouldn't be the only one to appreciate myself today.

My plans for the day were, of course, try and track down my crush, but also to go shopping. There was no way that Sonic would be hanging around the mall, but I needed to pick out a few things for the day. With the holiday specials running, it'd be worth my time to stop in.

They always say love hits you when you least expect it. In the past I'd always dismissed this notion, since I was in love with the most unpredictable hedgehog ever to exist. On the one hand, I never knew what to expect from Sonic, whether he'd give me the time of day or not, whether he'd ignore me or not, whether he'd be nice to me or not… and on the other hand, I always had to be ready with a guy like him. Who knows what kind of crazy adventures he'd thrown himself into next?So I'd long rejected the premise that love would hit me without warning, since I was constantly wanting and dreaming and wishing for it. Especially on a day like Valentine's, literally the day of love, when I'd spent so much time preparing myself, and Sonic, for it.

So I have no idea how that happened to be true for me on Valentine's Day (of all days!) this year. As it turns out, it was during that early morning shopping trip that love finally came my way for once.

I was at the grocery store, carrying my canvas bag, when a sudden coldness overtook me - a mid-winter breeze, while I was still inside? Once my clothes stopped flapping in the wind, I blinked in surprise. I shook it off as nothing, but when I went to put some apples in my bag, I noticed an unexpected addition - a red envelope. My heart stopped. What was this? On the front, "Amy Rose" was sloppily spelled out with a black Sharpie.

With shaking hands, I took out the envelope and set my bag on the floor. It was thicker, heavier in my hand than I expected as I fingered at the crease. How did this get in here? I suddenly remembered the cold gust from earlier, and I inhaled sharply - had that been Sonic? Had he really sought me out and dropped a letter in my bag? Unable to wait any longer, I broke the seal with my index finger and peeked inside, eyes wide, heart pounding, breathing ceased.

The envelope didn't hold a handwritten letter like I'd expected, but instead a small stack of about a half-dozen photographs. I blinked in confusion as I looked over the first one - a beige/orange landscape of the wide-open plains, and a wide blue sky looming above. I was instantly disappointed and let down, but then I turned the photograph over to find a handwritten note on the back, scribbled in pencil.

"Ames - this zone has so much room to run and I feel so free when I'm here. But it's not one of my favorite places just for that - out here is called "big sky zone" because of the flat land, you can can see so much of the sky. It's one of the best places I know for stargazing. I know you like mystical stuff like this, and when I'm out here alone at night, I can't help but see your eyes in the stars. Sometimes I think about us together, you telling me about the stars and our place reminds me of you. - Sonic"

"Are you kidding me?" I said out loud, thunderstruck, unsure of how to feel - elated, shocked, thrilled. I knew my face must be flushed, but I couldn't feel anything but the intense warm twinges of my heart. I could sense the eyes of all the other customers on me, but I didn't care. Sonic had given me a romantic gift, so personalized, so thoughtful - he was confessing how he felt! I knew he felt something for me, or at least I'd hoped so, but to read the words, get to hold them in my hand - I was going to keep and treasure these forever, frame them, keep them in a box… my thoughts were racing.

I quickly flipped through the rest of the stack, overwhelmed at the variety of landscape photographs given to me; a rainbow of colors and scenes and biomes. I couldn't be here, I had to go and read these somewhere else. Clutching the envelope to my chest, I skipped out of the store, my excitement manifested in giggles. I found the nearest park bench and sat down with gusto, my legs swinging as I flipped through the photos.

The next one in the stack was a sand-covered beach, soaked by gorgeous green and teal water. But I was too excited to enjoy the serene scene, and eagerly digested the words on the back.

"Ames - You know how much I hate swimming and water, and running on the sand is a chore, but - I've learned that running on top of the water, riding the waves, surfing without a board and just my speed, can be kinda fun. Also, the flat horizon of the ocean means this is the best place to watch the sunset. And when the sky turns pink, I can't help but think of you and your soft fur and cute quills. And I bet you'd look nice in a swimsuit. This place reminds me of you. -Sonic"

Oh my gosh~ I let out several squeals as I read and re-read over the words. He'd called me cute! Did sunsets really remind him of me? "Oh Sonic," I muttered and set the photo aside just to take another - there was more, my heart couldn't take this!

I was greeted with a darker scene, jungle greens, swampy trees and small sparky fireflies.

"Ames - I love jumping and running through this obstacle course. Sometimes it's fun to just run with nothing in my way, but I come here when I'm bored and want a challenge. But I also come here, cuz, it's actually a cool place. It's always dark because of the thick canopy of trees blocking the sun, but the stream/swamp attracts fireflies. And in the extra darkness all I can see is their glows - reminds me of how you're always positive and you light up the extra dark times. You always believe in others no matter how bad things seem. It gives me hope that even when things seem grim, you're always there for me with hope to light up my world. This place reminds me of you. - Sonic"

I… I… I gave Sonic hope? He saw me as his light in the darkness? Fireflies reminded me of him? I never knew how much I meant to him, he'd never shown that to me before. To think this was how he felt this whole time... when he was fighting an enemy, I gave him energy to keep going. I squealed again, eager to read his next words as I grabbed the second to last photograph - another picture featuring a colorful sky, snow-covered mountain peaks in the background, and stunning red roses in the foreground.

"Ames - if the beach is the best place to watch the sunset, the mountains are the best place to watch the sunrise. There's this cool peak in the east that not only is up high, but has a flat area near the top that has a wild rose garden. The flowers are pretty, and their scent is just like yours - as I sit here and watch the day begin, I wonder what it'd be like to wake up next to you, and see something even more gorgeous than the sunrise - your face. Also, it's hard to breathe up here because the air is so thin - just like it's so hard for me to breathe when I'm near you. This place reminds me of you - Sonic."

I. had no words. My mouth hung open as I read such heartfelt confession. How could Sonic, my Sonic, write stuff like this? I had no idea he thought of me at all, let alone so romantically. Had he been holding this in his head the whole time? I held the photo next to my pounding heart, a smile growing up my face as I pictured him whispering these sweet words out loud, in my ear - ah, the thoughts which had previously just been in my daydreams were now that much closer to reality. And they weren't just a fleeting wish, but now I had proof. I had hard evidence about how Sonic really felt about me. Validation and relief filled my soul, and despite the intense energetic feelings of love, I also felt oddly calm and relieved. Even if nothing ever happened between us, I now knew the truth.

The next picture was actually a selfie - and my god he was so handsome - Sonic was winking at me, his normal smirk replaced by a kind smile. Did I mention he was handsome? I stared at him for a good few minutes - now that I thought about it, I didn't actually have a picture of Sonic himself until now, he was notorious for hating his picture taken. But now I did! And I could carry it around with me and always have a piece of Sonic. I flipped it over almost reluctantly, knowing that I could look at him all day. He was so handsome~

"Ames - there's so much I wanna tell you but words are hard - especially words that are about how I feel. Some reason it's easier for me to write about you then tell ya, but making these pictures for you has given me some courage. There's so many places I wanna take ya, and today is as good as any. So whaddya say, wanna be my Valentine? I know there's really no 'place' in this picture other than me, so I just wanna say that it doesn't matter the place, cuz wherever I go, I somehow find something that reminds me of you. - Sonic"

His words left a warm feeling all over me, and I sunk down onto the bench as I hugged the pictures to my heart again. I flipped through the best Valentine's present I'd ever received, still in a minor state of disbelief that this was real life. I pinched at my arm, squealing and kicking my feet in joy. If only Sonic were here, I'd hug and kiss him so much -

"Hey… so…"

I gasped, my eyes flying open at hearing his unmistakable voice. I turned to my left, and sure enough, the did-I-say handsome hedgehog Sonic himself was beside me. He looked so cool and confident, with a grin as wide as the sky.

"What? How long have you been here?" I shrieked in surprised joy. I was too stunned with emotions to immediately hug him like I'd imagined just a moment before. I blushed as I realized he'd probably been watching me read these letters and freak out over them.

"Didja read my letters?"

"Did I - ?!" I paused, nearly shouting. "Oh Sonic, I just, eeek!" I couldn't speak, I was still processing what had just happened. It was all so fast and unexpected - typical Sonic style. Normally I could say what I felt without much effort, but he'd turned the tables on me. Now I was flustered and he was calm and confident.

"Yes…?" he teased me, staring at me intently and wearing that grin that was driving my heart crazy.

I sighed, collecting my thoughts. "I just, didn't think you'd do anything for Valentine's Day… certainly not all this!" I gestured towards the pile of photographs. "Thank you... I'm going to treasure these always."

"Yeah, well, I wasn't sure how to tell you all that I've been holdin' inside, so I thought I'd just show you. It was easier writin' it down then saying it outloud."

"I had no idea you were a poet," I said, scooting a bit closer to him. "Or that you liked me at all. Or that you thought about me all the time."

"Not all the time…" he insisted, but didn't move away as I got closer. He wrapped my shoulders in a side hug, but was suddenly bashful and looking away.

"Do you think you can say any of those things out loud now?" I asked, taking advantage of his sudden show of adorable weakness.

He closed one eye in a half-wink, half-discomfort. "Uhhh," Sonic began before clearing his throat. "You, look nice, and uh, wanna go with me to all these places that remind me of you?"

I let out a giggle. "Yes! I'd love to."

"Cool," Sonic said, and in a graceful gesture, swooped me into his strong arms bridal-style. "Now this might take awhile cuz we got a lotta ground to cover, hope that's okay, Ames."

I looked up at him with affection. "I don't have any other plans."

"You better not. Yer my Valentine now," he hugged me securely before taking off near the speed of sound.

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be," I admitted, leaning into his chest and shoulder. My hero then took me to all these places, and more, giving me the best Valentine's Day of my life. And I had a feeling, from how Sonic had began opening his heart, even better ones were ahead.