It Started With A... Vase?

Marking

Shadow took a deep breath.

He stood in front of the door, nervous. That mission was 8 months longer than expected. Hopefully Mephiles would understand.

Speaking of Mephiles, he was going to get an earful from Shadow. For the first few days of the trip to the mission station, the other soldiers poked fun at Shadow, seeing the hickey that Mephiles had left on his neck. They asked who the "lucky lady" was that would date a "cold, unfeeling robot" like Shadow.

Of course, he didn't tell them. But he couldn't help blushing every time he looked at his neck. Even when it finally disappeared, it stood as a reminder: Mephiles had marked him. He was to return to Mephiles.

Now that he was here, he was on edge. As a peace offering, he had brung some takeout food from one of Mephiles's favorite restaurants. Of course, it wouldn't make up for all the lost time, but hopefully it would help.

Finally opening the door, Shadow stepped inside.

Opposite of what he expected, the house was spotless. Even though his pay hadn't been given for the past 14 months, Mephiles kept doing his job.

It took little time for Shadow to see that something was wrong, though. Mephiles still hadn't come to greet him.

Shadow sat down the food and looked around the silent house, growing worried. He checked the living room.

Nothing.

Kitchen.

Nothing.

Not in his bedroom.

Not in the reading area.

None of the bathrooms.

Neither of the yards.

Feeling extremely worried, Shadow went to his room to think. He opened the door.

There he was. Mephiles was laying on Shadow's bed, deep in sleep.

'Huh.' Shadow thought. 'Normally he never even touches my room. Poor guy must've really missed me. Maybe even more than I missed him, and that's saying something.'

Shadow quickly walked over to Mephiles. He only wanted to hug and kiss him. Then he noticed the book laying open near him. Curious, Shadow picked it up, thinking that it was another "fanfiction", as Mephiles called it.

But he realized that the book was a journal. All of the latest entry pages had tear stains on them. Shadow read them, becoming tearful himself seeing that Mephiles had begun blaming himself for Shadow not coming back.

Shadow tossed the journal down and shook Mephiles. "Wake up. Mephiles, wake up."

Mephiles was still.

Shadow shook desperately. "Mephiles! Please, Mephiles, wake up!"

A low grunt was heard from the still very sleepy hedgehog. "No... Don't go... I'll do better... I'll be better... Please, no, don't leave me again..."

"MEPHILES, WAKE UP!"

Finally, Mephiles jumped up. He confusedly looked around, then froze.

The two looked at each other.

Then Mephiles began crying.

"Nonono. Calm down, Mephiles. What's wrong?" Shadow said, rubbing Mephiles's back and shoulders.

Sobbing, Mephiles answers, "You're finally here! I thought you weren't coming back! I thought you hated me!"

Shadow hugged Mephiles tight, still rubbing his back. "I'm right here. It's okay. Calm down. I'm right here. Stop crying."