Chapter 5: Promises
Silver's mood had brightened, he felt better, now that he had his friend back.
He knew things wouldn't go back to the way they were before though. He knew they'd both be facing challenges and sometimes things may be awkward, but right now it was perfect.
Currently he was rather amused. They couldn't decide what they wanted to watch on t.v., so Knuckles suggested flipping through stations until they found something they both might like.
Flipping into the 800 stations and so far nothing, and Knuckles was getting very frustrated, and repeatedly threatened to just turn the t.v. off. Something he still had yet to do.
Stubborn guardian.
Silver couldn't help but chuckle as Knuckles began to mutter “One-thousand channels, and there's nothing on.” “Knuckles, um, you might wanna just settle for a music channel or something. You're um, heading into the 900's” “Yeah, and there's still nothing.” “That's not-” “Not even a Rush Hour movie. Those are always on.” “Umm, you might wanna-”
The next channel that came on, made Silver cut himself off.
On screen was a human woman wearing see through underwear, laying on her back, rubbing her hands along her chest, while sitting in between her legs, was grey a vixen in a trashy school girl uniform that barely left anything to the imagination, playing up to the camera, licking her lips and leaning forward to show off her cleavage.
Both friends just stared at the scene for a few moments, trying to register what they were seeing.
Knuckles finally came to his senses and quickly changed the channel back to a rock music station.
“O-oh look, um, eh, it's you're favourite band! Empire Of Dirt! Eh-heh.” He stuttered, he felt like the sweat was pumping out of him as tried to keep talking about the music that was playing.
God this was awkward.
After a few moments of nervous babbling, the guardian finally noticed Silver had yet to say anything.
Looking over at his friend, he saw Silvers head bowed, ears pinned back against his head, fingers digging into his thighs.
Shit! He upset him!
Panicking, Knuckles scooted closer to his young friend and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. “Kid? Hey, I-I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to upset you!”
Silver finally lifted his head to look at his guardian, and Knuckles was surprised to see his face so flushed, and was that a grin?
“Wh-what are you grinning at?” “That lady, the vixen, she lives down the road.”
Well that was unexpected.
Trying to stop himself from laughing, Knuckles coughed into his hand. “Ehem. O-oh really.”
“Yup. She works part time at the fruit and vegetable shop.”
“No way, you're messing now. She doesn't work there.” The guardian sniggered into his hand.
Silver shrugged, his huge grin still present on his flushed face. “Fine, don't believe the truth. All I know is, I don't think we'll be able to buy cucumbers there any more without being embarrassed.”
Oh that was it!
“Shut up you little brat!” the guardian laughed and pulled the younger hedgehog into his lap, one arm wrapped tightly around his waist while his free hand rubbed up the boys side, until the boy started to giggle.
“Found it!” Knuckles declared and tickled Silver, making him squirm and burst out laughing, and gasping trying to catch his breath.
“S-stoHEHEHAHA! C-CANNNNNN NYAHHEHEHEE! BREEEHEEEEAATHEEE!”
“Fine, I'll let you breathe.” The guardian sighed dramatically and let Silver go.
Falling back onto the couch, face flushed, fur a mess, he tried catching his breath, but he couldn't stop giggling.
Grinning the echidna gently flicked the tip of Silver's ear, earning another set of giggles. “Heh, c'mon. Calm down now. Calm you're breathing, you sound like you're going into labour.” “Haha, shut up!” Silver laughed and playfully hit him with the couch cushion.
Knuckles look down at the young hedgehog, a small smile gracing his lips. “Heh, didn't realise I'd missed hearing you laugh so much.”
The white hedgehog winced and slumped down in the couch, mood suddenly darkening.“Don't say things like that.” He muttered, looking away from his friend.
“What? It's true though. Silver?”
“Don't say things you don't mean.”
Knuckles shuffled closer to him, and gently put a hand on his shoulder. “Hey,” he spoke softly “I do mean it. I know things have been.......well, I haven't been there for you, and even today I was pretty reluctant to come here.”
The echidna panicked when the boy began to shiver. “B-but, I realised I was wrong for not being there for you. I was too busy mourning over the friend I thought I lost. I was too focused on how I felt, instead of being there for you. I thought, what we had was gone, I thought you were gone.”
Knuckles gently took hold of the boys chin, tilting his head back to look at him. His heart dropped when he saw his eyes welling up with tears.
“I was so wrong. You're not gone, you're still there, you're still YOU. Just, you're hurt.”
The dam broke, and immediately the guardian wrapped his arms around the hedgehog, pulling him close against his chest as the boy began to sob, his body shaking.
“Wh-ahat took yo so l-lo-ong! D-dumm-mmy!” The white hedgehog cried, gripping his friends shoulders and nuzzling his face against his chest. “M-missed. Sooo much! Missed t-this! Missed Youuu!”
Patting the back of his head, the echidna cooed to the boy “I know, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I'll never abandon you again. I promise.”
Silver stiffened “Don't!”
“I don't care what you say, or believe, I will protect you. I'm not going back on that, I'm not going to abandon you.” The guardian growled, as his hold on the boy tightened a little, as if to emphasize his promise.
Silver whimpered, but nodded his head. “A-alright.”
The pair remained like that for a few minutes, Silver had calmed his, his breathing soft and slow, his body no longer shaking.
Silver felt drained, he was struggling to keep his eyes open.
Knuckles noticed Silver's struggles to stay awake and he chuckled lightly and leaned back against the cushions, bringing the hedgehog with him and allowing him to lay on him and use him as a pillow.
“There, that better kid? Comfy?” No response. “Eh, Kid? Silver?” Knuckles looked down and saw Silver's eyes were closed. Sleep won.
“Get some rest then.” He sighed, and turned his attention to the tv, that had some music video of some band in a garage and a woman dancing exotically on the hood of a car. “Really?” He grumbled and grabbed the remote and switched to a nature station that had a show about building ridiculous fish tanks. “They'd turn anything into a show these days.”
Despite his complaints, he never changed the channel, and just lay there, partially paying attention, while he pet the back of the hedgehog's head as he slept.
End Chapter 5
