Hi! The message on Silver the Hedgehog's smartphone said. How r u 2nite? A small glimmer of hope shone in the ivory hedgehog's eyes. Maybe this one would be different! U horny? Me and my bf are looking for sum1 to have a 3sum with. ;) Silver sighed and closed his eyes. That didn't even deserve a response. He closed the app and put the phone down on the nearby table. How come all the gay men in the area only wanted sex? Nobody wanted a real relationship and it sucked. He had been searching for weeks, trying to see if anyone just wanted to meet up for coffee, since he didn't want to meet up for alcoholic drinks. Drinks were a bad idea. That would almost definitely lead to sex, and he refused to have sex on the first date.

The gay bars weren't a good idea either. It was hot, crowded, and way too loud to have a real conversation. Plus, most of the guys were looking for sex. Silver had met one or two guys who wanted a relationship at one bar, but he was rejected when they said he wasn't their type. Typical. It all boiled down to looks. Silver flopped down on the couch. What would it take to find someone who he could really love? He looked around his apartment. And someone who wouldn't mind a mess in the house… Silver sighed again.

I'd better face it, he thought. I'm going to be alone for the rest of my life. I've never met a single gay guy who wants to be lovers, not just sex partners.The silver hedgehog sighed loudly and glanced around the apartment again. He didn't have any pets. His landlord wouldn't allow any of those "mangy mongrels" running around his property. It was a lonely life for him.

Silver turned on the TV, just to get some noise going so he wouldn't feel as lonely. He glanced at the clock. It was almost 9, which meant sleep in about a half hour. His job made him wake up at 6:00 AM so he could be to work at 7:00. On the bright side, he got every other Friday off. He watched TV, but he was detached. His thoughts were on where to make really good friends. His family was back out West, in a tiny town that no one has ever heard of. All of his friends were back there too.

He had moved to Mobius City after he had finished college to look for a job. He had found one, and it paid pretty well, but his coworkers hated him. He was the "new kid," the one who was still unprepared for the working world. He worked at a local insurance agency as a computer worker. He was really good with the computers and some of his coworkers hated him for that. When he was first hired to work for the company, he was filled with excitement and enthusiasm, but that slowly ebbed away and was replaced by a drone mentality. Wake up, get to work, work for nine and a half hours, get home, cook dinner, clean up, take a shower, watch TV and go to bed. Day in and day out, it was all the same.

Silver glanced at the clock again. It was 9:30. He stretched and looked at his phone again.U interested? Hello? U sure u don't wanna suck me?He read the messages and saw a nude picture of the guy he was messaging before. Silver rolled his amber eyes and blocked the user. It just wasn't worth it.

He got up and picked his way over his messy floor to the bathroom to take a shower. He turned on the water and took off his socks and gloves, tossing them into the nearby laundry basket. He tested the water. Satisfied, he walked in and closed the curtain.

Silver let the hot water cascade over his body and slowly breathed in the steam enveloping the bathroom. He picked up the shampoo bottle and squeezed some onto his hand. He lathered it up and rubbed the shampoo all over his body, getting it deep into his silver quills. After rinsing it out, he poured a little conditioner onto his hand and worked it into his longer quills. He stood there for a moment, deep in thought. What would it take to find someone? A guy who really wanted a relationship and not sex? A solitary tear rolled down his cheek

"Dammit!"he suddenly cried out. What were the chances of actually finding someone like that? Slim to none. He shut off the water, not wanting to think any more about being single. It was too depressing. He dried himself off and tossed the towel into the laundry basket. He padded to his bedroom and crawled into the sheets. Well, tomorrow would be another day. Another day of torture, another day to live but never truly live. He sighed again. What had his life come to? He slowly drifted off to sleep.

Silver cracked open his eyes and glanced at the clock on his nightstand. It read 7:13. "Shit!" he cried out. He had overslept. He was late! He dashed around the apartment and grabbed a fresh pair of gloves and socks. He hopped around as he pulled them on and slipped on his shoes. He grabbed his keys and ran out the door. He quickly locked it and ran down the hallway. He got to the elevators. Nobody else was in sight. Impatiently, he pushed the button to call the elevator. "Come on, come on, come on, come on," Silver muttered. He was late as it was. He needed the elevator to get there and soon. The elevator arrived and the doors slowly slid open. He ran inside, only to bowl into someone else.

"I'm so sorry," Silver apologized.

"It's fine," the Mobian answered gruffly. Silver sighed and punched the "close door" button. The elevator slowly went down to the ground floor. Being on the twenty-third floor was nice for the view, but the elevator ride took forever. After a few more minutes, the doors slid open, and he dashed out, cutting off the other man in the elevator.

"Hey!" he called.

"Sorry!" Silver called over his shoulder. He ran out the front door and started to run down the sidewalk. A huge crowd of people appeared around the next corner, and he groaned loudly. This was not going well. He slowly walked along with the crowd, but stayed near the buildings on the right. Suddenly, he heard someone whimpering. He looked down. There was a yellow fox with two tails sitting down on the concrete.

The kitsune was wearing a simple pair of white gloves and regular sneakers. He had three long pieces of fur sticking out of his forehead. He had his legs pulled up to his chest, and his arms were resting on top of his knees. His face was buried inside, trying to hide whatever was going on. Forgetting about being late, Silver approached him and squatted down.

"Hey, are you okay?" Silver asked.

The fox gasped softly. "Y-y-y-yeah… I'm f-f-f-fine," the boy choked out.

"Doesn't seem like it to me," Silver responded.

"N-n-no. I'm f-fine! Really!" he protested.

Silver gently moved the boy's arms aside and brought his chin up. The boy had light blue eyes, but they were tinged with red and slightly puffy. Silver could clearly see wet streaks in the boy's fur on his face. "That's not okay. What happened to you?" Silver inquired.

The boy shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it…"

Silver looked him over once more. He noticed the fox was a slightly grimy. His two tails were gray with mud and grime and they were wet too. Some of the boys white chest fur was tinged brown from the mud caked on. Sympathy welled up in Silver's heart. Whoever this kid was, he needed help.

"At least let me help you clean up," Silver offered.

The fox's eyes widened in shock. "No!" he shouted suddenly. A few people walking by glanced over at the exchange. "How do I know you're not some creep looking to take advantage of me?" he demanded.

Silver sighed. "I don't do this often, but this is a special moment. Now, be prepared. This might seem strange," He touched the boy's temples, but the kitsune shrank back. "Relax, I'm not going to hurt you." The boy reluctantly let Silver touch the sides of his head. The hedgehog closed his eyes and let some of his mental barriers down and sent what he wanted. The boy gasped, and Silver removed his hands.

"Wha… what was that?"

"I opened my mind to you. You could see some parts of me."

The boy looked up in wonder. "How do I know your name? Silver…" the boy furrowed his brow in thought.

"Because I shared that with you. Now focus a little bit. Try and see my intentions."

The boy thought for a second and stood up. "I'll follow you," he promised.

Silver smiled and led the boy down back to his apartment. "You know my name, but I don't know yours,"

"My name's Miles," he said, "but everyone calls me Tails."

Silver grinned. "I like it," he replied. "Come on, we're almost there." Silver walked into the apartment building, and Tails gasped again. "What is it?" Silver asked. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah… but this place… It's beautiful. I've never seen anything like it," Tails breathed. The foyer really wasn't much to look at. There was an old fountain pushed in one corner, but the water had long since run dry, leaving some of the fountain with a white residue on it. The reception desk was made of wood and looked decent, but it wasn't a five-star hotel. There was a red carpet on the floor, but parts of it were worn out.

"Really? I…" Silver stopped himself. He didn't want to make Tails feel bad.

"Yes, really!" Silver walked over to the elevator and pushed the button. The elevator opened, and the ivory hedgehog walked in with the golden kitsune. He pushed the button for the twenty-third floor and the pair started to move upwards.

"What's your apartment like?" Tails asked.

"Focus a little bit. I shared an image of it with you," Silver said. "And yes, it's a little messy."

Tails thought for a moment. "Wow!" he finally said. "I can practically see it!"

The elevator doors opened, and Silver led the boy down the hallway. He opened the door and let Tails in. The fox looked around in wonder. "This is exactly like the image I could see in my head!" He whirled to face Silver. "How did you do that?" Silver shrugged.

"I have these strange psychic abilities. That's just one of them. But I don't do party tricks and I don't use them often," Silver explained. "Now let's get you cleaned up. I'll take your socks, shoes and gloves and wash them. There's a bathroom with a shower down the hall and on your left. Take as long as you need there. Don't be afraid to call me if you need anything. And I mean anything."

Tails took off his shoes, gloves and socks and handed them to Silver. He noted that they hadn't been washed in what looked like weeks. "What time is it?" Tails asked. Silver's eyes widened suddenly. "What's the matter?" Tails asked worriedly.

"I was supposed to go into work today, but I can call in sick. You're more important than that. And it is…" Silver paused to glance at his watch. "7:45. I'll cook you some breakfast." Tails smiled and made his way to the bathroom.

Silver sighed and took out his phone. He had a message from the gay dating app. Heey sexy. ;) send me a pic of your dick. Silver rolled his eyes and dialed his boss's number. After a few rings, his boss picked up.

"This is Shadow," the boss said.

"Shadow, hi," Silver replied weakly. "I'm feeling really sick this morning, so I can't make it into work today." He fake coughed and made sure it sounded awful.

"That does not sound good, Silver. Just make sure you get plenty of rest. Come see me tomorrow morning. I have something important to tell you, but it can only be done in person," Shadow responded.

"Yes, sir," Silver answered.

"Don't call me sir, remember?" Shadow asked. "We're friends, not a boss and a worker."

"Yes si—I mean, Shadow," Silver said.

"Take care of yourself, okay?"

"I will, Shadow. Have a good day, sir." The phone clicked as Shadow hung up.

Silver grinned and made his way to the kitchen. He stopped and looked back at the living area of the apartment. It looked really messy. Blankets were thrown here and there, there were some food crumbs on the floor and on the couch, the remotes were scattered everywhere. He sighed.I might as well make this faster.

He closed his eyes and focused his mind. After a few seconds, his eyes snapped open, and he started to move everything telekinetically. The blankets rose up in the air and folded in midair; the crumbs rose up from where they were and congregated in a central location, only to fly through the air and into the opened trash bin. Cushions were put back in place and papers were organized. Within two minutes, the living room looked spotless. Satisfied, Silver made his way to the kitchen.

He looked inside the refrigerator. There wasn't much, but he did have a full dozen of eggs. I wonder how much I should make. I can eat two, but Tails probably hasn't eaten in a long time. I should make him four, so a half dozen. Silver pulled out the egg carton and cracked the eggs into a bowl. He whisked them vigorously and let them sit. He pulled out a skillet and placed a pat of butter in the middle. He turned on the gas. Once the butter had melted, he poured the scrambled eggs into the skillet. They started to cook rapidly. Silver lifted the pan and turned down the heat. He put the pan back on the flame and started to stir the eggs with a spatula.

Hmm… What else can I make with the eggs? he wondered. He brought out his toaster and put in two slices of bread. Rummaging through the fridge again, he found a few stray strips of bacon in a plastic bag. He smiled, pulled them out, placed them on a tray, and put them in the microwave. He gave the eggs another stir and made sure they weren't burning at all.

He remembered suddenly Tails' gloves and socks. He telekinetically threw them into the laundry room and into the washer. Still using his telekinesis, he poured detergent into the washer and started it up.

The eggs were done and then the microwave beeped and the toaster popped up. Perfect timing. Silver made a plate for Tails with most of the eggs, both slices of toast, and most of the bacon. He placed the plate down on the table and poured a glass of orange juice. He made himself another plate and put that down across from Tails' plate.

Silver heard the bathroom door open up and Tails rounded the corner.

"Holy crap! You've been busy!" Tails said incredulously. Silver looked at Tails again. He looked like a new person. His fur coat looked slightly shiny and almost radiant. Those three stubborn bits of fur were still sticking up, even though it looked like Tails had tried hard to get them to stay down. Silver chuckled to himself. There was a new light in Tails' eyes. Probably from the hot shower he just took.

Silver shrugged. "Breakfast is on the table." Tails walked over to the table and sat down at the smaller plate. "Your plate is on the other side," Silver said gently.

"Really?" Tails said.

"Yes, really. Eat as much as you want. I can cook more for you." Tails smiled happily and sat down at the other plate. He wolfed down the eggs and started to gobble up the bacon.

"Whoa! Slow down a little," Silver said. "You're going to be sick if you eat that fast. Tails stopped and swallowed.

"Okay…" Tails conceded. He ate a bite of bacon and chewed slowly. His eyes glazed over. "This is the best thing I've ever tasted."

"Then enjoy it. You can have my bacon if you want it." Tails looked hungrily at the meat and snatched it from Silver's plate.

"I'm sorry," The kitsune apologized. "That was rude of me…"

"No, no," Silver replied. "It's okay. You're hungry." Tails just kept eating. After he had finished his plate he leaned back and rubbed his stomach.

"Oh, man. It's been so long since I've eaten like that," Tails said. The silver hedgehog smiled. He wanted to know what Tails' story was. Why he was crying on the side of the street, why he thought he should eat less than him, why he seemed so distrustful of others. He mentally shook his head. It wasn't his place to ask. If Tails felt comfortable enough, he would talk. He didn't want to press him at all. He could use his telepathy to really see, but Tails would have to let him in. He would be patient.

"Do you want to nap or something?" Silver asked. Tails nodded, suddenly looking exhausted. Silver led Tails to the bedroom. Thankfully, this room was mostly clean. Tails sank to the floor in front of the bed and curled up into as tight a ball as he could.

"What are you doing?" Silver asked with his brow furrowed.

"Napping," Tails replied.

"You can sleep on the bed."

The fox gasped softly. "You… mean that?" he asked incredulously. Silver smiled and nodded. Tails leaped forward and held Silver tightly.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyouthan kyouthankyouthankyouthankyou !" Tails said quickly. He hopped up on the bed and curled up underneath the covers. Within a few seconds, Silver could hear soft snores from underneath.

Wow, something really bad must have happened to him… I wonder what happened. Silver thought. He shook his head. It's not my place to ask. He'll tell me if he wants to. Silver sat down on a chair nearby and looked at Tails' sleeping form. What made me go up to him? he wondered. He was just a dirty looking guy sitting on the sidewalk. That's nothing new. Maybe it's because on some level, I could sense he needed help. He sighed softly. I guess I'll have to see where this goes.

Silver got up and quietly closed the shades. He walked to the bedroom door and flicked off the lights, putting the room in near darkness. He closed the door behind him, letting the kitsune sleep in peace.

Me: Well, this will be fun.

Silver: Well, I'm glad you got me in this story.

Me: I know! I think you're an underappreciated character who needs lots of love.

Tails: What about me?

Me: A lot of people like you and write about you. Not so much for Silver.

Silver: So where is this going?

Me: Not really sure yet, but it will be awesome!

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