Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Knuckles wasn’t sure why he even let Sonic into his space. His sacred space, his island, his duty, his peace. But the blue blur had a way of appearing, uninvited, as though the laws of boundaries didn’t apply to him.

“Can you stop touching things?” Knuckles growled, arms crossed, watching Sonic casually lean against the Master Emerald.

“Oh, c’mon, Knux. The Emerald’s fine. I’m not breaking anything,” Sonic teased, his cocky grin unwavering. His gloved fingers trailed lightly across the emerald’s surface, and Knuckles nearly lunged at him.

“You’re asking for it,” Knuckles warned, stepping closer. His crimson fur bristled with irritation, though his tone betrayed something less certain.

“Am I?” Sonic smirked, suddenly closing the distance between them. His speed made Knuckles flinch—just enough to let the hedgehog get right in his personal space.

Knuckles stumbled back but caught himself, planting his feet firmly. “Sonic! Quit messing around, or I’ll—”

“Or you’ll what?” Sonic interrupted, his voice dropping just enough to send a shiver through Knuckles’ spine. The echidna hated that feeling—like Sonic could unnerve him with a mere change in tone. It was infuriating.

“Or I’ll knock your smug face halfway across the island,” Knuckles snapped, though the heat rising to his face betrayed the edge in his voice.

“Ohhh, I’m terrified,” Sonic quipped, stepping even closer. “What’s got you so worked up, big guy? You always this cranky, or is it just when I’m around?”

Knuckles glared at him, his fists tightening. But as much as he wanted to shove Sonic away, something about that irritating grin froze him in place. Sonic leaned in, so close that Knuckles could feel the warmth radiating off him.

“Admit it,” Sonic said, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “You’d miss me if I didn’t show up. It’s cute how stubborn you are, though.”

Knuckles’ cheeks burned hotter, his voice caught somewhere between a growl and a flustered sputter. “Y-You’re so full of yourself! Why would I—”

Before Knuckles could finish, Sonic’s hand brushed his arm, lingering just long enough to make him stiffen. The hedgehog’s teasing smirk softened into something more unreadable.

“I’m just saying,” Sonic murmured, his voice unexpectedly sincere. “You don’t have to play tough with me. I see through it.”

Knuckles froze. His mind raced with a dozen comebacks, but none of them made it past the lump in his throat.

“Shut up,” he finally muttered, turning his back to Sonic. “Just... don’t touch the Emerald.”

Sonic’s laughter echoed as he zipped away, but not before whispering, “See you tomorrow, tough guy.”

Knuckles clenched his fists, glaring at the Master Emerald. His pulse was still racing. He hated how Sonic got under his skin—and hated even more how much he looked forward to it.

Sonic kicked back on a tree branch outside Tails' workshop, hands behind his head as he gazed up at the sky. The orange fox was fiddling with one of his latest gadgets inside, but Sonic’s mind was far from engines and electronics.

“Hey, Tails,” Sonic called casually, swinging one leg over the branch.

“Yeah?” Tails replied, not looking up from his workbench.

“What do you think about Knuckles?”

The sound of a wrench clattering to the floor broke the steady hum of machinery. Tails blinked, turning toward Sonic with a confused expression. “Knuckles? What about him?”

“You know, like... do you think he’s cute?” Sonic asked, his tone deliberately nonchalant, though the slight flicker of his ears betrayed him.

Tails tilted his head, eyebrows shooting up. “Cute? Knuckles?” He paused, considering. “I mean, he’s got that whole ‘tough guy’ thing going on. And those grumpy expressions are kind of funny. Why are you asking?”

Sonic hopped down from the tree and leaned against the doorframe, trying (and failing) to look casual. “No reason. Just... he’s got this way of getting all flustered and stuff, and it’s, uh, kinda... adorable.”

Tails stared at him, the gears in his brain practically visible as they turned. Then his eyes widened. “Wait a second—you like him, don’t you?”

“What?” Sonic shot back, crossing his arms. “I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to!” Tails grinned, his twin tails wagging behind him. “Oh man, Sonic, this is priceless. Mr. Cool himself has a crush on Knuckles!”

“Keep it down, will ya?” Sonic hissed, glancing around like someone might overhear. “It’s not a crush. I just... I don’t know. He’s stubborn and fiery, but he’s got this softer side, too. I kinda wanna... I dunno, see where it goes.”

Tails set down his tools, giving Sonic his full attention. “Okay, first of all, that totally is a crush. And second, if you’re serious, why don’t you just ask him out?”

Sonic rubbed the back of his head. “Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that. But, you know Knux—he’s prickly. If I come on too strong, he’ll probably punch me into next week.”

“True,” Tails admitted, tapping his chin. “But you’re good at reading him, right? Just... maybe don’t mess with him so much. Be honest for once.”

Sonic raised an eyebrow. “Honest, huh? What, like, ‘Hey Knuckles, I think you’re cute and wanna go on a date’? That’s gonna go over great.”

Tails snickered. “Well, maybe not exactly like that. But something less... Sonic-y. Just show him you’re serious.”

Sonic sighed, looking unusually uncertain. “Yeah, okay. I’ll think about it. Thanks, buddy.”

As Sonic turned to leave, Tails smirked. “Hey, when you do ask him out, let me know how it goes.. unless you really do get beaten into a pulp.”

Sonic shot him a mock glare but couldn’t hide the faint smirk creeping onto his face.

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t hold your breath, Tails,” he said, speeding off into the distance.

But as he ran, his mind was already racing with plans—how to finally tell Knuckles how he felt, without getting his quills handed to him in the process.

The midday sun beat down on Angel Island, the usual cool breezes absent, leaving the air thick and stifling. The heat wave was relentless, and even Knuckles had to abandon his usual patrols in favor of staying cool. He found a shaded spot by a quiet creek, lying on his stomach in the soft grass. His arms were folded under his chin, and his long, spiked tail rested lazily behind him. The sound of the babbling water almost lulled him to sleep.

Sonic had been watching from the treeline for at least ten minutes, his nerves keeping him rooted in place. His usual cocky front was nowhere to be found as he observed Knuckles. The echidna looked... serene, his toned body stretched out in the shade. Sonic’s eyes lingered, against his better judgment, tracing the curve of Knuckles’ hips and the way his muscular form caught the dappled sunlight.

Man, he doesn’t even try, does he? Sonic thought, running a hand through his quills. His heart was pounding, and it wasn’t from running this time.

Taking a deep breath, he finally stepped into the clearing, making his presence known with a casual, “Hey, Knux. Thought I’d find you here.”

Knuckles cracked one eye open, groaning as he shifted slightly to look at him. “You again?” he muttered, though his voice lacked its usual bite. “What do you want, Sonic? It’s too hot for your nonsense.”

Sonic chuckled, trying to mask his nerves with his usual confidence. “Relax, big guy. I’m not here to mess with you. Just thought I’d check in. Looks like you’re taking it easy for once.”

Knuckles huffed, turning his gaze back to the creek. “Even I can’t fight this heat. It’s miserable.”

“Tell me about it,” Sonic said, plopping down a few feet away. He leaned back on his hands, letting his legs stretch out. His eyes kept flicking toward Knuckles, who had gone back to resting his head on his arms.

They sat in silence for a while, the sound of the creek filling the space between them. Sonic’s stomach churned as he tried to find the right words.

“So, uh...” Sonic began, scratching the back of his neck. “You’ve been hanging out here all day?”

Knuckles made a noncommittal noise. “What’s it to you?”

“Just wondering,” Sonic said quickly. He hesitated, then added, “You’re, uh... looking pretty chill, though. Relaxed.”

Knuckles turned his head slightly, giving Sonic a suspicious look. “Why are you acting weird?”

“Me? Weird? Nah,” Sonic said, laughing nervously. He quickly changed the subject. “Hey, Knux... can I ask you something?”

Knuckles raised an eyebrow. “Depends. Is it dumb?”

Sonic winced. Why is this so hard? He wasn’t used to feeling this unsure of himself. He rubbed his palms against his thighs, forcing himself to meet Knuckles’ sharp gaze.

“It’s not dumb,” Sonic said, his voice came out softer than he had expected. “I’ve just been... thinking about something. About you.”

Knuckles sat up slightly, leaning on one arm as he stared at Sonic with a mix of confusion and curiosity. “What about me?”

“Well,” Sonic started, his mouth suddenly dry. “I mean, you know you’re kinda... intimidating, right? You’ve got this whole tough-guy thing going on. It’s cool, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not exactly easy to, uh, talk to you about certain things.”

Knuckles frowned, his brow furrowing. “Sonic, if you’ve got something to say, just spit it out.”

Sonic gulped. Alright, just rip the band-aid off.

“Okay, fine. Look, I think you’re awesome. Like, really awesome. And, uh...” He trailed off, glancing away. “I was wondering if maybe you’d want to, I dunno, hang out sometime. Just the two of us. Like... more than friends.”

The words hung in the air, and Sonic immediately wanted to bolt. He couldn’t bring himself to look at Knuckles, whose expression had frozen.

“...You’re serious?” Knuckles asked after a long pause, his voice quieter than usual.

“Yeah,” Sonic said, his heart hammering. “I mean, I get it if you’re not into the idea, but—”

“Sonic.” Knuckles’ voice cut him off. Sonic finally forced himself to look up, and what he saw wasn’t anger or disgust, but something unreadable.

“I don’t... really know what to say,” Knuckles admitted, his cheeks tinged with pink. “No one’s ever asked me out before..”

“Yeah, well,” Sonic said with a nervous laugh. “Guess I’m full of surprises.”

Knuckles stared at him for another moment, then sighed, shaking his head. “You’re an idiot,” he muttered, but there was no venom in his words. “But... I’ll think about it.”

Sonic blinked, his eyes widening. “You mean that?”

“Don’t make me regret it,” Knuckles said, flopping back onto his stomach. His tail flicked once, almost playfully.

Sonic grinned, his confidence returning in full force. “Alright, big guy. You won’t.”

As he leaned back to bask in the victory, Sonic couldn’t help but glance at Knuckles again, his heart skipping a beat.

Maybe this heat wave wasn’t so bad after all.

Chapter Text

Knuckles stood near the edge of Angel Island, fidgeting with the strap of his satchel. The night breeze was cool and carried the faint scent of the ocean below. He wasn’t one for grand gestures, but when Sonic had asked him out, something inside him had said to make this moment count. A picnic under the full moon, on a quiet hill overlooking the mainland—simple but special. He glanced at the supplies he’d packed: sandwiches, fresh fruit, a thermos of warm tea, and even a small lantern. He adjusted the strap again, muttering to himself. “It’s just Sonic. No big deal... right?” A sudden rush of wind whipped past him, and Knuckles turned to see Sonic skidding to a stop, a nervous grin plastered across his face. Knuckles blinked, his gaze zeroing in on the crooked red tie around Sonic’s neck. “What... are you wearing?” Knuckles asked, unable to suppress a smirk. Sonic tugged at the tie, looking sheepish. “You said you wanted to make it special, so I figured I’d, you know, dress up a little. But, uh, yeah... I feel kinda ridiculous.” Knuckles’ smirk softened into something more genuine. “You don’t look ridiculous,” he said, his voice quieter. “It’s... charming.” Sonic’s ears twitched, and his grin widened. “Oh, so you do have a soft spot for me,” he teased, trying to lighten the mood. “Don’t push it,” Knuckles muttered, but the way his cheeks darkened betrayed his embarrassment. They didn’t say much as Sonic grabbed Knuckles’ arm and sped them both to the mainland. In an instant, they arrived on the grassy hill Knuckles had scouted earlier. The place was perfect—soft grass, a clear view of the stars, and the full moon casting a silver glow over everything. “This is... wow,” Sonic said, looking around. “You picked a good spot, Knux.” Knuckles set down his satchel, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “Yeah, well... figured it’d be better than just sitting around doing nothing.” They spread out the blanket, and Knuckles began unpacking the food while Sonic sprawled on the grass, hands behind his head. “So, what’s the plan, Romeo?” Knuckles asked, raising an eyebrow. Sonic sat up, trying to look suave. “Well, I thought we’d, uh...” He paused, looking at the food. “...eat?” Knuckles snorted. “Real smooth.” “Hey, I’m trying here!” Sonic said, grabbing a sandwich. “You’re not exactly giving me a handbook on how to woo you.” “Maybe because I didn’t expect to be wooed,” Knuckles shot back, though there was a playful lilt in his tone. They ate in companionable silence for a while, the sounds of the night filling the air. Sonic kept sneaking glances at Knuckles, trying to figure out how to say something romantic without sounding cheesy. Finally, he blurted out, “You know, the moonlight looks really good on you.” Knuckles froze mid-bite, slowly turning to stare at him. “What?” Sonic asked, his face heating up. “I’m serious!” “You sound like you pulled that from a bad movie,” Knuckles said, but the faint curl of his lips betrayed his amusement. Sonic groaned, flopping onto his back. “This is harder than I thought.” Knuckles giggled, leaning back on his hands. “You don’t have to try so hard, you know.” Sonic peeked up at him. “Yeah?” “Yeah,” Knuckles said, his voice soft. “I like you how you are. Even when you’re a dork.” Sonic’s grin returned full force. “Careful, Knux. Keep talking like that, and I might think you’re falling for me.” Knuckles didn’t respond immediately, his gaze drifting to the moon. “...Maybe I am,” he said, so quietly Sonic almost missed it. Sonic sat up, his heart skipping a beat. “Wait, really?” Knuckles glanced at him, his face unreadable. “Don’t make me regret saying that.” Sonic laughed, leaning back on his hands and letting the tension melt away. “Alright, I’ll play it cool.” They stayed there for hours, talking and laughing under the stars. Sonic might have fumbled his way through the night, but Knuckles found it endearing. For once, it felt like they could both let their guards down. As they packed up to leave, Sonic tugged at his tie. “So, how’d I do for my first date?” Knuckles gave him a rare, genuine smile. “Not bad, hedgehog. Not bad at all.” And as they finished packing up, Sonic couldn’t stop grinning. He might have been awkward, but he’d managed to get Knuckles to smile—and for him, that was worth everything.  

The night air was cool as Sonic and Knuckles stood on the mainland cliff overlooking the sea. Angel Island loomed in the distance, its faint silhouette blending with the starry sky. Knuckles crossed his arms, pretending not to notice Sonic’s sly grin. “You ready?” Sonic asked, stretching his legs like he was preparing for a race. Knuckles raised an eyebrow. “You’re sure this is necessary? I can get back myself.” “Oh, come on,” Sonic teased, already stepping closer. “It’s not every day I get to play hero. Let me have this, will ya?” Knuckles rolled his eyes but didn’t protest as Sonic scooped him up—arms under his knees and back—lifting him effortlessly. “Bridal style?” Knuckles grumbled, his cheeks already beginning to burn. “Hey, it’s efficient,” Sonic said, smirking. “Besides, you look like you’re enjoying yourself.” “Don’t push your luck,” Knuckles muttered, though he made no effort to wriggle free. With a burst of speed, Sonic took off, the wind whipping past them as he raced across the ocean. The rhythmic sound of waves crashing against the cliffs below was oddly soothing, and Knuckles found himself relaxing despite the absurdity of the situation. “You’re awfully quiet,” Sonic said, glancing down at him. “Enjoying the view?” Knuckles scoffed, though his gaze did drift to the moonlit water below. “It’s... peaceful.” Sonic grinned, his chest swelling a little. He’d never seen this softer side of Knuckles before, and it was oddly gratifying. Within moments, they reached Angel Island. Sonic came to a graceful stop at the edge of the forest, where the soft glow of the Master Emerald could be seen in the distance. He set Knuckles down gently, brushing his hands off like he’d just completed a big job. “See? Safe and sound,” Sonic said, puffing out his chest. Knuckles straightened his posture, adjusting his gloves as if trying to reassert some dignity. “Thanks... I guess.” “Anytime,” Sonic replied, his tone light but his eyes warm. An awkward silence settled between them, both of them unsure how to end the night. Sonic stuffed his hands in his pockets, rocking on his heels. “Well, guess I should get going. You’ve got a big rock to watch, and I’ve got... you know, fast stuff to do.” Knuckles stared at him for a moment, then took a small step forward. “Sonic.” “Yeah?” Sonic asked, turning back. Knuckles hesitated, his hand curling into a fist at his side. Then, before he could overthink it, he leaned in and pressed a quick, firm kiss to Sonic’s cheek. Sonic froze, his eyes wide and his brain short-circuiting. Knuckles pulled back, his own cheeks tinged with pink. “Thanks... for tonight. It was nice.” Sonic blinked, slowly raising a hand to his cheek. A grin spread across his face, wider than any he’d worn that night. “Knux, are you blushing?” Knuckles pouted, his tail twitching. “Shut up, hedgehog.” But Sonic couldn’t stop grinning, his heart racing faster than it ever had during a run. “Hey, don’t be embarrassed. I’m flattered.” Knuckles groaned, already turning toward the Master Emerald. “Go home, Sonic.” “Alright, alright, I’m going,” Sonic said, taking a few steps back. “But, uh... maybe we can do this again sometime?” Knuckles paused, glancing over his shoulder. “We’ll see.” Sonic gave him a mock salute before speeding off into the night, his laughter echoing through the trees. Knuckles watched him go, his hand brushing his lips as a small smile crept onto his face.