You& me, and our mate

ch 7; buffet at the asian restaurant

Knuckles was walking along the streets around lunch time, when he came across a good deal.
The echidna stops by the Asian restaurant, where he curiously reads the text on the board next the entrance.
It seems you could eat buffet for very low price today.
The deal intrigued him, and he takes the phone up, where he starts dialing Shadow's/Mephiles' number.
Hopefully Shadow would answer.

A few seconds later, around a half minute, Mephiles answered.
"Hello?-..."
Knuckles' heart dropped in disappointment.
Then he facepalms himself over the mistake... It was the 19th today! An odd-numbered date... And he should know by now, he can't reach Shadow those dates. For some weird reason...
"Knuckles?-... Are you there?"
Knuckles exhales a small laugh over his silly mistake.
"Yeah-... I'm here... May I ask, what are you doing now?" He asks while starting to blush a little. He also feels a little bad, to choose Mephiles as a second best choice, after Shadow.
For a moment he didn't got an answer, instead it sounded as Mephiles was chewing on something.
Maybe he can't join him for the buffet... It seems he might eat something already.
The hedgehog swallows.
"... Nothing special, just chilling in front the TV with a bowl popcorn... Why?"
Knuckles smiles fondly, while a couple entered the restaurant.
"... If-... If you want, you can maybe join me on the Asian restaurant? They have buffet for a good deal right now... I can even pay for you..." he explains, and sounded almost desperately when he added the last part. There he could pay Mephiles' visit as well.
"... Deal!-... I will come as fast I can..."
"Great-... I am already here, see you soon..." Knuckles tells him, before they hungs up.

It was warm enough today, to keep the coat open and the scarf loosely around the neck. And more work as a decoration than keeping the neck warm. Therefore Knuckles scarf was only hanging over the shoulders, instead of being wrapped around the neck.

The village is rather silent right now, mostly 'Cause most children are at the school now.
Which is perfect. Simply 'Cause Knuckles prefer calm than the stress of having people around him.
Hanging out with a friend here and there, isn't any problem... But constantly having strangers around him, makes him awkward and stiff.

*** Around 30 minutes later***

Mephiles arrives with same dark blue jacket, he used when they were at the bar.
But today, he skipped the white knitted scarf. Probably 'Cause the scarf would keep him very warm. Which wouldn't be necessary today due the weather.
Even the snow is gone now. Only few traces of the snow could be found here and there. But only from the snowmen the children had built, and now were melting around the village.

Knuckles brights up when he sees Mephiles.
"Thanks for coming-... I thought it could be fun to have company..." he smiles shyly, while eyeing the hedgehog up and down.
Doesn't he looks kinda cute?
Knuckles inhales sharply over the thought and shakes the head, with a memory popping up where Shadow told him; he wouldn't mind if Knuckles got together with Mephiles as well...

Mephiles raises an eyebrow at him, and can't understand the weird behavior...
He shrugs.
"No problem-... I was actually rather hungry... But way too lazy to cook something... Therefore the popcorn..."he tells the flushed echidna.
"... So, I'm glad you invited me..." he adds, and looks a little nervous at the echidna. Not sure if Knuckles would be able to date him, like he does Shadow... But-... Knuckles doesn't has a choice if he wants to date him, or not... In the end-... If Knuckles wanna date Shadow, he also must date Mephiles... Otherwise it wouldn't work out.
So, the question is; will Knuckles stay around, as soon he finds out the truth?! Or-... Will he dump Shadow, like the rests of his ex;s did!?
But okay-... A few of them ran away 'Cause of him, where he rudely told them to leave them alone...
Which wasn't his fault... He simply didn't liked them. And since a guy must date them both, Mephiles has every rights to dump him. Even though the guy started dating Shadow first, and not him...