Shadow had been stalking across the campus courtyard, his boots hitting the pavement with steady, heavy steps that matched his mood. The late morning sun glared down, glinting off the sleek red streaks in his quills as he flipped through the pages of his engineering textbook with one hand, trying to focus on formulas instead of his growing irritation. Rouge had stolen his red eyeliner again—six times this week. Six. He loved his roommate like a sister, sure, but she was going to drive him to madness before midterms did.

He adjusted the strap of his black backpack, the fabric pulling across the wide stretch of his shoulders. His compression shirt clung to every line of his chest and arms, while his dark gray cargo pants hung loose and heavy around his legs. It was the kind of outfit that screamed he didn’t care, but the fit told a different story—Shadow only cared about a certain boy that works at Sunflower Blooms, just never admitted it.

He glanced down again at the dense equations, his crimson eyes narrowing in focus. He didn’t notice the shape rounding the corner until it was too late.

The collision was fast, warm, and followed by the sharp sound of a coffee cup hitting the ground. Liquid splashed everywhere—across sneakers, concrete, and the soft green apron of the one person Shadow had been actively trying to avoid making a fool of himself in front of.

Sonic.

The blue hedgehog blinked, startled for a moment before his face broke into that infuriatingly charming crooked smile. His green eyes sparkled brighter than the sunlight, and somehow, despite the coffee dripping down his apron, he just laughed it off—an easy, unbothered sound that made Shadow’s chest tighten in ways he’d never admit out loud.

Shadow’s ears flicked back as he exhaled slowly through his nose, forcing his usual calm expression to hold steady even though his stomach was doing backflips. He could already hear Rouge teasing him about this later. Perfect.

"Watch where you’re going, Blue," he muttered under his breath, his tone sharp but not as cold as it used to be. He stepped around Sonic and into the Sunflower Bloom café, pretending he didn’t care.

But inside? He was silently screaming. Because of course it had to be Sonic. Of all people. The one hedgehog who somehow made his pulse race faster than his motorcycle engine.

As the bell above the café door chimed, the smell of roasted beans hit him—a scent he normally found comforting, grounding. Now, it just made him think of Sonic’s smile, that ridiculous green apron, and the way his laugh lingered like caffeine in his veins. He grumbled to himself, dragging a hand through his quills as he made for the counter.

Shadow wasn’t blushing. He absolutely wasn’t.

Still, when he caught a glimpse of Sonic in the reflection of the glass pastry case—apron still stained, still smiling—Shadow had to look away before his mask slipped again. Maybe coffee wasn’t the only thing spilling over that morning