"Breathe already, God dammit!"

There was a deluge of his misery trickling down Shadow's shoulder, where the dendritic pattern of tears draped all the way down to the floor. A sharp sensation was terrifying the weeper's mind, and he was blinded by the madness that tore through his fragility. The thoughts had ripped him into two, like someone had skewered a spear of desolation into his once jubilant demeanor.

But Shadow knew this person would get over it, eventually. This crybaby always had to take things so personally.

The dark hedgehog wanted to say something else, but he was not exactly the best poet of comforting words. In fact, he was best at destroying people instead of helping them. How ironic that his other close friend would decide to seek Shadow for a warm consultation instead of his blue counterpart. For now, the black hedgehog decided to keep his mouth shut, even in between his friend's gasps for air during the tantrum.

After agonizing lengths of more pouting, the white hedgehog seemed to have regain a grip of himself, at least temporarily.

"Are you done, Silver?" The words came out a little more sarcastic and heavy than Shadow had hoped them to be; his voice was genetically engineered to intimidate, not to comfort. Nevertheless, the pair of red eyes that retained a set of golden iris rolled up to look at his comforter in the eye. Even with the hideous blood red color lining his eyes, the golden ellipses in the centers gave a dull shine that was almost brilliant. Still, the albino was burdened with a deep frown that seemed to be unstable, and his own shoulders were still quivering. Taking a pause before saying something else, Shadow reached forward and stroked the vestiges of tears off of his companion's eyes. Silver flinched, half lidding his eyes each time the ungloved thumb moved in to stroke the sensitive corners of his ducts. Slow, but gentle minutes were spent as the ebony cleaned off the ivory's muzzle, and wiped off the excess moisture that leaked anywhere.

"Better?" grumbled Shadow as he recalled his hand to observe his slight work on his friend. The only response was simple nod that was devoid of any emotion. Inside, Silver was still fighting off the rest of the thoughts that lingered in his mind; they were still taunting him and stealing his confidence. Shadow noticed this and pulled the hedgehog back into his arms for one last time, except the hug was even deeper and their bodies literally made contact in every spot. The stronger hedgehog leaned backwards and against the plaster wall to allow his friend to rest against his white chest fluff. Shadow aggressively intertwined his legs with Silver's and his left hand stoked the white quills on the back, each with a gentle and caressing rub that sent a small twinge up Silver's sore back. All the while, his ungloved right hand caressed Silver's head and leisurely ruffled through the lengthy quills. This warm physical comfort forced the white hedgehog to release a quiet moan that was pleasurable to hear. With such close contact, Shadow's rubbing caused Silver's shivering to come to a gradual fruition and his steady breath returned to his rapidly beating heart.

It was silent once again, both hedgehogs were too comfortable in their positions and almost refused to pull apart from each other. But after another minute of this, Shadow realized his leaning posture against the plaster was beginning to hurt his lower back. Wouldn't he be more comfortable in bed with this crybaby…

"Silver?" The name was thrown out rigidly, almost like a command.

"Y-yeah?" Silver finally sputtered in response.

"I'm getting a little tired standing like this…" Shadow grunted a little vexed.

"S-sorry…" The albino leaned backwards and stood up straight again, finally out of Shadow's firm grip. Almost immediately, the black counterpart stood up straight too. Realizing his work was done, the cold attitude suddenly returned to Shadow and his voice was lowered to an even deeper growl.

"Now run off, and find something else to do Silv." was all he said.

Taking this command affirmatively, Silver only nodded again and took off, disappearing down the unlit hallway and into his room. Shadow sucked in a deep breath and slowly released it when he heard someone behind him.

It was Sonic leaning on the oak framed doorway, staring at him: he had come back from the town bazaar with extra food.

"Well, I suppose Shadow had a 'mommy' side too hmm?" Usually the blue hedgehog would have been joking around and making flippant comments, but the one thing that ever makes him dead serious are tears and misery. His tone was plaintive, and lacking that gleeful spirit that is always hinted in it.

"Dude…he lost his parents. Think that's funny?" scowled Shadow as he gave Sonic a cold stare.

"What did he say happened?"

"His village was luckily caught in the middle of a firefight, he says. Not sure if that's so, but it could be."

"So the anti-gov army is getting even closer to us I suppose?"

There was a slight pause as Shadow stopped to think.

"The Czar's militia should be able to keep those bastards from reaching us. Don't you think too much about it, Sonic"

"Sure," grumbled Sonic rolling his eyes, "And I suppose isn't that what everyone said before the revolutionists even set first foot on their conquest?

"Hey! I was just saying what was predicted! Think I'm really that stupid?" Shadow growled back, fired up with offense.

"Take it easy Shadz! I'm just worried of who's going where and when. But what about Silver? Can he really stay with us?"

"Can he?" snarled Shadow with cynicism. "Why of course! Why the hell not! Wanna throw him out and let him sleep on the porch!"

Here, Sonic was tacit, and he was suddenly nervous. Shadow was never easily intimidated, but Sonic's uneasiness made him uneasy too.

"Uh, Shadow…" Sonic mumbled looking just below the eyelevel of his friend. "Food prices have been, well, umm…skyrocketing like hell ever since the start…."He sighed and was about to explain more, but simply cut to the chase. "The army is going around and hoarding farms for food, it's been rather ugly for the sharecroppers."

"Oh, I see…." Shadow just pretended to think to himself and act studious, but in reality, he was provoked by the fact that his close friend decided to reveal this just now. "So why the fuck have you not been telling me this?" he muttered through his barred teeth while he was holding his head that was aching now.

"We would've been fine with just the two of us…but it's Silver who we can't—"

"Oh, so you suppose we don't feed him then? Is that right?" Growled Shadow once again. His back was somewhat arched, and he got even closer to the cobalt, approaching him with every contributing step.

"No! Not at all!" cried Sonic, defending himself and trying to rid the misunderstanding from the equation. "We'll just have to, well cut down on the spending a little and ask for a raise…"

"Don't you forget Sonic, that we are supposed to be serving in the Czar's army right? We might as well serve him and live like nobles instead of having to live in this damned village, for heaven's sake!"

"Oh come on now Shads!" said Sonic biting back as he rolled his eyes again. "And now you decide to start doubting why we ran away from our homeland to escape those enlisters?"

"If you hadn't been there, trying to convince my sad little ass, then yes! I would rather serve the government."

"You're hopeless…" grunted Sonic throwing his arms up into the air and turning around with exaggeration. "The Czar wanted us fighting for him only because of our special abilities…and nothing else. He doesn't care what happens to use as long as we save his rear end."

"Good for you. Then go join the revolutionists for all I care." Shadow said with sarcasm.

"Shut up, you black bastard." Cursed the cobalt under his breath as he was about to leave the dining room. It was, however, a big mistake to insult the ultimate life form. Shadow suddenly leaped up from his seated position on the dining table and unexpectedly tackled his blue counterpart within a blink of an eye. A loud cry was heard as the two rolled straight a wooden cabinet and pounded each other with their fists. Sonic managed to recover himself from the surprise and really give Shadow the beating of his life until both froze in their movements to see Silver standing in the hallway.

Neither of the fighting hedgehogs dared to move or speak, and Shadow released his choking grip on Sonic.

Silver seemed to have been in the middle of a deep nap, and the noisy quarrel seemed to have awaken him from his dream. He only stood there, glaring his still red eyes at Sonic and Shadow who remained on top of each other and staring back on Silver yet anticipating a response.

"I'm s-sorry to interrupt, but…." Sonic's ears remained erect as Shadow visually stared down at the albino. Neither of them realized how horrendously skinny he was getting, "…could I have something to, eat? I-I'm feeling a little hungry…"

There was an awkward silence, and Shadow silently gave Sonic a nudge which sharply urged the cobalt to 'go on.' Sonic's checks flushed a bright red of embarrassment, debilitating whether or not to eventually inform Silver of their food shortage.

"Uh, food? Ha! Why of course Silv!" nervously laughed the witty hedgehog as he got off of Shadow's chest and lead the starving hedgehog into the kitchen by the hand.

Shadow only sat there…..unsure of what to do as he heard Sonic creaking open the ice box.