As the hours pass (stobotnik)

I missed you, im sorry

Stone was left empty. Left with unanswered questions, so many questions. Left with an empty heart.

His chest ached, it was a pain he experienced every single damn day ever since his boss vanished. Vanished where? If only he knew. If only he accompanied his boss that day. That excruciating day. He knew what Robotnik was planning; planning on capturing that blue hedgehog. Stone was most certainly he would. Most certain his boss would come back, grinning wildly at him with his accomplished task. Bragging about how skilled and intelligent he was for doing such a thing.

But that never came.

Now the government refuses to tell him where Robotnik was. What happened to him, why he doesn't exist anymore.

It was agonizing. Everything hurt so much.
His co workers caught up with his conflict, but didn't understand whatsoever. They were shocked, asking why the hell would anyone want to keep working under such a brutal and overconfident man.
But Stone couldn't say why.

Minutes, hours, weeks, months. They all passed by. Every day with Stone hoping to see Robotnik just come out of fucking no where, telling him that he's okay. That he won't ever leave again.
Stone has been so patient. So fucking patient. And slowly, ever so slowly, it's been tearing him apart. He missed the man he worked for, missed the man who allowed him to be closer with him than with anyone else, missed the man he was in such a denial of loving. But now he knows, he cannot deny it no more, he is in love with his own boss.

Why him? Why did he have to love him out of anybody else?

Stone came back from his trip to the grocery store, now walking up to his front door with grocery bags in hand. It was night time by now. He has been meaning to go buy groceries in a long while, but never managed to get the energy to do so until now.
When he opened his front door that led right into the living room, he was shocked to see a man who he could only make out as Robotnik examining the room. He looked different, his appearance seemed bulkier and he was now bald and sporting an untamed mustache.
Frozen, he dropped the groceries and stared at the man with wide eyes.
Holy fuck.

"Stone! You Imbecile, you dropped all the milk!"
Robotnik walked over with his hands on his hips, glaring at the other with disappointment.
Stone's heart was going miles a minute. He felt a lump in his throat. He's back, he's finally back. And he dropped the milk.
"S-sir", Stone choked up, tears daring to fall. He hated that he was nearly crying in front of his boss- how embarrassing. But he couldn't let that bother him now. Robotnik is back. He's back. And Stone could no longer keep in all the emotions that rushed through his body.

He hugged him. Stone wrapped his arms around the taller man tightly, with a quiet sob escaping. He was shaking, so many emotions leaving and coming back.

"I missed you-" Stone sobbed out, tightening his squeeze, "im sorry."

His shoulders shook more as the hug was slowly returned. He expected to be shoved back, to be told to stop showing such human emotions. He hasn't felt comfort in so long. Those warm arms around him comforted him overwhelmingly.

"...it's okay"

It was a small whisper, so very quiet it could have been ignored so easily. But stone heard, and he just cried harder.
Surprisingly, Robotnik didn't move an inch. He kept his arms around the shorter man until he calmed down.

With a shaky breath, Stone broke the hug slowly and wiped his face with his hoodie sleeve, his face now burning from embarrassment. "Sorry about that, doctor. I just- it's been rough without you."

Robotnik didn't answer immediately, staring at his agent as if processing his emotions. Stone shrunk under his gaze, feeling a wave of insecurity.

Until he answered.
And it made Stone's heart flutter.

"It's been rough without you too, Stone."