Chapter Text
Shadow didn’t mean to fall for her.
She was chaos in pink, too loud, too cheerful, too full of life for someone like him, forged in darkness and silence. But she kept showing up. With cookies. With laughter. With warmth. With hands that hugged like they knew exactly where the cracks in his armour were.
And somehow… he let her in.
She called him out when he was reckless. She stood between him and his own self-destruction more times than he could count. And even when he used silence like a wall, she stayed.
Amy was never scared of Shadow. She saw what others didn’t, the way he scanned every room, planned every exit, stood between her and danger before it even existed. She saw the way his hands shook after battles, and how he always made sure she had water, food, warmth, even when he didn’t take any himself.
And he… he memorized everything about her. The way she stirred her tea. The way her nose scrunched when she laughed. The way she tucked her legs beneath her on the couch or clung to his arm without thinking.
He remembered the campfire, the night she brushed the back of his neck, and he melted like a boy, not a weapon. He remembered the plane ride, when she fell asleep on his shoulder, and he stayed perfectly still for hours, afraid to break the moment. He remembered the storm on the lake, when she panicked, and he pulled her through it with nothing but steady words and silent strength.
He remembered the mornings, her hair a little messy, face still soft with sleep. The way she wore oversized shirts and shorts, comfortable and unbothered. The way she trusted him enough to exist beside him without masks. And how he looked away out of respect, even when memories burned behind his eyes for years after.
He remembered the meals, the way they always ended up sitting side by side, sharing bites without hesitation. The way she chose his clothes when they go shopping, and the pride he felt every time she smiled at him wearing something she picked. It wasn’t about the fabric, it was about being chosen.
He remembered the walks in the forest's trails with her chao. Quiet talks, because she was worth it. Because she always would be.
He would never tell her how deep it ran. He couldn’t. Because she was with someone else. Because he wore a uniform and had orders and made himself a ghost so she could shine.
But if he could… if the world gave him one quiet night to speak, he’d say:
Hey… I’m still here. I always have been. I don’t need you to say anything. Just know that I love you without strings, without expecting anything back and silence with you is peace. I'll stay right here, as long as you want. Take all the time you need
Shadow was never the hero. He was the weapon. The line in the sand. But she made him feel like maybe… he was more than that.
And if he could only keep one thing in this life, It wouldn’t be power. It would be the memory of her head on his shoulder, her smile in the firelight, the scent of her hair, the warmth of her tea, and the echo of her voice when she said his name like it was something worth saying.
For her… he remains.