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Dr. Eggman had just threatened to dominate the world. He challenged Team Sonic, confident in his ability to succeed in his goal. The trio accepted this challenge and set out to put a stop to his plans.
Their first destination: Seaside Hill. A beautiful tropical setting with clear azure waters, pristine sands, vibrant palm trees, and a bright blue sky above. Several giant whale-shaped landmasses occupied the ocean, appearing to guard the water they swim in. This scene would have been perfect, if it weren’t for the hundreds of robots scattered across, meant to halt Team Sonic.
“Eggman just can’t let me enjoy anything, huh?” Sonic complained.
Knuckles growled. “It’s not just you, you know. That fiend won’t let his eyes off of the Master Emerald…I shouldn’t even be here with you.”
Sonic rolled his eyes. “C’mon, Knuckles. Don’t be like that. Sometimes you need a break from being all alone up there.”
Sonic was right. Sort of. Knuckles didn’t particularly like being alone guarding the Master Emerald all the time, but what could he really do about it? This job was placed in his hands from birth, and he had no intentions of ever giving it up.
Knuckles couldn’t really argue with Sonic right now, though. Mostly because the hedgehog is incredibly stubborn, but also because he couldn’t really disagree with him. At least, not this time.
Sonic smirked. “Can’t think of anything to say now, eh?”
Knuckles ignored him and kept his focus on the mission at hand. Sonic sighed and didn’t bother to continue the conversation. The trio sped through the tropical area, maneuvering the distinctly patterned platforms and destroying all enemies in their path. As they kept running, Sonic suddenly skidded to a stop and his eyes lit up. “A beach! Sweet!”
Tails tilted his head. “What’s the hold up, Sonic? You’ve been to a beach before.”
Sonic chuckled. “I know, I know. But a beach is a beach, and I love beaches. C’monnn, let’s just make a quick stop.”
Tails and Knuckles looked at each other for a moment, and then at Sonic. Knuckles sighed. "Fine. You can go have your little fun in the sun while Tails and I take our mission seriously."
Sonic flailed his arms around and whined. "I want you to come with me though, Knux! It'll be fun, and you need some fun in your life!"
Tails pushed Knuckles towards Sonic, earning a grunt from the echidna. “What are you doing, Tails??” Knuckles asked, annoyed.
The young fox simply shrugged with a cheeky smile, leaving Sonic and Knuckles to their own devices.
Sonic grinned and jumped down onto the beach. “Oh boy…of course, there’s robots here to ruin our fun time. No biggie, though!”
The hedgehog rolled up into a ball and quickly took out the robots mindlessly patrolling the beach. He couldn’t help but laugh while doing so, which made Knuckles roll his eyes. After destroying the robots, Sonic stood at the edge of the shore, looking down at the azure water below his feet. The air was fresh, the water was clear, and the sun was bright. Now this was a perfect setting.
Knuckles stood next to him and scoffed. “What’s so nice about this? If you’re going to waste time like this, then I should just leave and do my job.”
The echidna, although his words said otherwise, thought that this was infinitely better than what he was surrounded by on Angel Island. Up there, it was a desolate, endless forest, with no life other than him. But here…here, it was colorful and full of life. Just what he needed all this time.
Sonic sat down and let the wind and water brush against his fur. He looked up at Knuckles and patted the spot next to him with a tender smile.
Knuckles growled and looked away. “I’m gonna leave now, Sonic.”
They both stayed silent for a moment, Sonic still wearing his smile. Then, Knuckles plopped down onto the sand, a firm frown still on his face.
Sonic laughed. “I knew you wouldn’t leave me, knucklehead. You’re too good for that.”
Knuckles growled and blushed, looking up at the sky. Not a single cloud in sight. When he was up on Angel Island, all he could ever see was clouds when he looked down. He was starting to feel grateful for Sonic. The water before them was calm. The sand below was warm. This was a different kind of tranquility for Knuckles, and he didn’t want it to end.
Sonic leaned in and kissed Knuckles on the cheek. “Y’know, for a long time, I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this. Ever since you knocked me down in Mystic Ruins…something awakened in me.”
Knuckles blushed more. "Wh-what!?"
Sonic giggled and kissed him again, wrapping his arms around the echidna. "I'm being serious! You're super cute, and also super strong…I like that in a man."
This was certainly news to Knuckles. A huge surprise, yes, but nowhere near an upset. He hadn't realized that he felt the same way about Sonic until now. He knew he was grateful for him, but the thought of being in love with him never occurred to him before. All the random thoughts he had about Sonic, and how brave and persistent he was, felt like normal thoughts to him. Thinking about how soft his fur must be…surely, that was normal to think about, right?
Knuckles dropped his head and trembled, tears welling up in his eyes. "Sonic…"
Never had Knuckles thought that he would be loved, or be able to love someone. It never came to mind, because it seemed impossible to him. How could love ever come to him when he never had anyone?
Sonic's ears flattened from worry. He held Knuckles close and tenderly rubbed his back. "Hey, hey…it's okay. I'm sorry."
They cuddled for a moment, holding onto each other tightly. Neither of them wanted to let go. Sonic stroked Knuckles’ dreadlocks to soothe him, letting him rest his head on his chest. Knuckles sighed and collected himself. “Don’t worry…I’m just in a bit of disbelief. I never knew that I loved you until now…and I’m glad that I do.”
Sonic smiled. His smile was warm and welcoming. Knuckles always found comfort in it, because even when the worst was about to happen, the hedgehog would wear it anyway.
The water comfortably embraced them, coming and going. They cuddled for a little while longer, until they finally let go, albeit reluctantly. They exchanged loving eyes and optimistic smiles. Their differences were stark, and that was clear, yet they completed each other.
Knuckles lay back on the sand. “Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea after all, Sonic…I think I love the beach, now.”
Sonic whined and hugged him.
The echidna chuckled. “I love you too, of course.”