Shadow leaned against the wall of a small mountain cave, the faint hum of the chaos emeralds in his grasp echoing in the background. His phone buzzed in his hand—again. Another string of messages from you filled the screen. He sighed, his crimson eyes softening as he scrolled through the texts.

Each message carried the same theme: longing.

"I know you're busy, but I miss you."

"When do you think you'll be back this time?"

Shadow's hand tightened around the phone, guilt swirling within him. He had been away far too long, darting from one high-stakes mission to the next with Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails. The thrill of the adventures, the need to protect the world—it consumed him. Yet, every message from you tugged at something deeper, a part of himself he hadn’t known existed before meeting you.

"Shadow!" Knuckles called from outside the cave. "We need to move—now!"

Shadow glanced toward the entrance, his stoic mask firmly in place. But before stepping out, he quickly typed a reply, one he hoped would reach you before the next wave of chaos demanded his attention:

"I'm sorry. I’ll make time for you soon. Promise."

Sliding the phone back into his quills, Shadow took a deep breath and raced after his team. But in the back of his mind, he was already planning a way to make it up to you. You deserved more than fleeting messages. You deserved him—entirely.