Work Text:
Sonic was not meant for the intricacies of ruling a kingdom. One would think being king meant freedom of choice was easy, but apparently that wasn’t the case. Kings had responsibilities and rules and expectations– and quite frankly Sonic was growing tired of it.
He hadn’t exactly been ready when Caliburn anointed him as king, but there wasn’t much he could really do about it now.
The council sat in front of his highness, all imploring about Sonic’s plan for an heir of all things. They had been at this for a while, insisting Sonic court and marry some princess or duchess or whatever other noble woman they could think of. Sonic vehemently rejected the idea every time– he wasn’t just going to marry some random person– but the council was nothing if not persistent, and their constant badgering was getting on his nerves. What does a group of old councilmen know anyways?
“Sire, you must understand our concerns. It is unbecoming of a king to have no wife–”
Sonic scoffed.
“I rule just fine alone,” Sonic countered, glaring harshly.
“Of course, M’lord, it is just that–”
“I’m already engaged!” Sonic blurted.
A stunned silence befalls the room, even over Sonic himself. He stands wide-eyed, internally cursing himself for speaking without thinking. Again.
The door to the meeting hall opens– a shift change between guards– and the sound spurs the council into action once more. Sonic is barraged with a flurry of questions all at once, the onslaught of noise causing his head to spin.
“When did this happen?”
“For how long?”
“But with who?”
“Engaged to who?”
Who? Who? Who? That seemed to be the main question all councilmen could agree on.
Sonic averts his eyes, scanning the room hoping some clever idea would come to him. His gaze lands on the new knight at the guard post– Lancelot. Lancelot was a good knight and loyal to a fault. Sonic knows he would go along with whatever he says– it’s not in him to so brazenly deny the king, or even worse, humiliate him in front of his own council. No. He would definitely cover for him– albeit awkwardly.
Lancelot definitely notices his staring and growing grin, as the knight slightly tilts his head in question.
Sonic’s grin grows.
“I’m engaged to Lancelot.”
It was a slew of chaos after that. More questions, Lancelot awkwardly corroborating Sonic’s half assed story of their “relationship”, and insistence of proof. Proof? How the hell does one prove they’re in love and engaged.
That left the blue blur where he is now: pacing in his private chambers while Lancelot stands to the side waiting patiently.
Sonic abruptly halts and snaps his fingers.
“We have to fake date. If the council thinks I’m really serious about this they’ll back off,” Sonic states, finger under his nose.
Lancelot bristles.
“But Sire we aren’t—“ he stammers for a moment. “We aren’t courting.”
“Hence the fake part,” Sonic quips.
Lancelot sighs, averting his gaze away from his king.
“I don’t know about this—“
“You are loyal to me are you not?” Sonic interrupts, stepping closer.
“Of course I am; you’re my king,” Lancelot replies, snapping his head back to Sonic’s approaching form.
Sonic hums and stops mere inches in front of the ebony knight. He tilts his head, leaning in close.
“Then this should be easy,” Sonic brings a gloved paw to Lancelot’s maw, just below his helm. “Just follow my lead, it’s not unlike following orders, is it?”
Sonic swipes his thumb beneath the helmet’s visor, catching Lancelot’s lips.
Lance flinches, but remains in place.
“This is highly inappropriate,” He murmurs breathily.
Sonic abruptly stands straight again, retracting his hand from Lancelot’s face, moving to swipe a finger under his nose.
“Seems we’ve already got this perfected!” Sonic grins.
Lancelot suppresses a growl, annoyance thrumming in his veins, and he vehemently ignores the way his armor suddenly seems so much hotter after feeling his king’s touch on his bare skin.
“Shouldn’t we invent a story in case of any inquiries about our… courtship?” Lancelot grumbles, begrudgingly accepting the situation at hand.
Sonic may be impulsive and brazen, but he was still Lancelot’s king, and the knight felt loyalty and care unlike any other towards the blue hedgehog, regardless of his faults.
Sonic beams.
“This is exactly why I’m fake-dating you, Lance! You always think ahead.”
Lancelot pretends he doesn’t feel his cheeks warm again.
“Will you just walk beside me already?”
“That wouldn’t be proper, Your Highness.”
Sonic rolls his eyes, head following the motion. He swivels his body, turning and crossing his arms, leg jutting out as he taps his foot.
“That is kind of the point, Lancelot,” Sonic fixes Lance with a stern stare. “Besides, you’ve walked beside me before.”
“That was for protection. We’re in the castle, there’s no need for—“
“Lancelot.”
Lance snaps his mouth shut, stomach turning oddly at Sonic’s commanding tone.
“Walk beside me. That’s an order.”
Lancelot hesitates, spit suddenly feeling too thick to swallow. It wasn’t as if Sonic hadn’t given him orders before, but this felt different.
“Now, Lancelot,” Sonic reiterates, impatient.
The command startles Lance into action, stepping forward to stand beside his king. Sonic’s whole demeanor shifts, once again airy and light, smiling jovially. He turns to walk once more, trusting Lancelot will keep pace.
“See? Not so hard is it? Maybe we’ll even hold hands,” Sonic teases.
“That would be unseemly,” Lancelot replies in a huff.
Sonic laughs, and Lancelot swears the sun shines brighter through the passing windows in reply.
“I forget how prudish you guys are.”
“Perhaps being more of a prude would do you some good,” Lancelot responds lightly.
“Was that a joke? Oh my god, you just told a joke!” Sonic beams, smile somehow twinkling brighter.
“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.”
Lancelot casts his gaze away, if not only for fear of being blinded by the smile beside him.
Lancelot and Sonic are on the receiving end of more than a few stares as the days go on.
Lancelot loathes it.
“I don’t see what the big deal is, we aren’t even touching.”
Sonic, clearly, could not care less.
“You ordered me to hand feed you at last night’s dinner.”
“I asked and it was just one bite! We have to look lovey-dovey somehow,” Sonic counters.
Lancelot shakes his head, sighing.
“You are incorrigible.”
Sonic merely laughs.
The two hedgehogs continue their walk through the castle gardens, coming to a stop beneath the shade of a large oak tree.
“Do you know how to dance, Lancelot?” Sonic queries, leaning against the bark.
“I have no use for dancing,” Lance grumbles.
“Well you do now, the Summer Solstice ball is next week,” Sonic explains.
“I am aware. There is still no need for me to…”
Lancelot trails off as Sonic invades his space and gently grabs his hands. Sonic lays one of the armored paws onto his shoulder, entwining the other between his fingers.
“It would be weird to not dance with my fiancé, right?” Sonic murmurs lowly, gaze trailing from their interlinked hands to Lancelot’s helm-hidden eyes.
Lancelot inhales sharply, eyes wavering between Sonic’s own.
“I suppose,” He concedes.
Sonic hums before clearing his throat.
“Right, well,” He places his free hand on Lancelot’s hip. “Just follow my lead.”
Lancelot wasn’t bad at dancing, but he wasn’t good either. Sonic designated time for the two of them to practice everyday up until the ball, each session oddly intimate in its own way.
Close contact, whispered conversations, shared laughter over missteps. It was making Lancelot’s head spin and ever more grateful for the coverage his helmet provided, covering every flush that dusted across his face.
Sonic had quickly deemed Lancelot ballroom-ready, claiming the knight was a quick learner. Shadow wasn’t so sure, but there wasn’t much he could do now, dressed in more formal armor, with a fancifully embroidered cloak over his shoulder.
Sonic looked similar, sans the armor, formal attire draping off his form gracefully.
The main hall was bustling, music bouncing off the walls, intermingling with the murmur of a hundred voices.
“Should we put those dancing lessons to the test?” Sonic asks, holding out a hand in offering as the music changes and the dance floor clears.
“I’d hardly call them lessons,” Lancelot replies, but he takes Sonic’s hand regardless.
The two make their way to the center of the floor, falling into position easily.
“You’re doing good for someone who supposedly didn’t have lessons,” Sonic teases as they waltz in time.
“It’s not like it’s complicated,” Lancelot counters.
Sonic raises a brow, a clear challenge, before stepping back and sending Lancelot into a spin. The knight stumbles momentarily before catching his footing, stepping back into the Sonic’s arms.
“Are you trying to make me look a fool?” Lancelot grits, his face heating with embarrassment.
Sonic chuckles and slides his hand further around Lancelot’s waist, pulling him closer.
“Of course not. I’d never do such a thing to my soon-to-be husband,” Sonic replies lowly, offering a reassuring smile.
Lancelot sighs and relaxes into the king’s touch, letting Sonic lead them through the dance again.
They stay closer than before, and Lancelot swears he sees the slightest of red dusting across Sonic’s cheeks.
But perhaps that’s just the wine.
The dance comes to a close, and the two hedgehogs linger close for a moment.
“I suppose you did teach me a thing or two,” Lancelot concedes.
Sonic smiles, eyes twinkling in the chandelier light.
“Only because you’re such a good student.”
Sonic leans close, planting a kiss to the side of Lancelot’s helm, as if to kiss his cheek.
Lancelot feels his tail give the slightest wag and his face warms exponentially. Sonic slowly retreats, and the blush on his maw now fully visible.
There’s a moment of suspension, as if the two were the only ones there, stuck together by glue, staring softly under the soft candlelight spread around the room.
And then Sonic clears his throat and abruptly drops his hands from Lancelot’s form.
“Ah, let’s hit the buffet table,” Sonic turns.
Lancelot smiles.
The king’s tail was wagging too.
It’s a silent walk back to the king’s chambers, which is rare. Sonic was almost always chattering, but this silence wasn’t unwelcome.
It seemed the king was deep in thought, brow slightly furrowed with a finger curled under his lip. Occasionally his fangs chewed lightly, worrying the lip before retreating back into his mouth.
When they arrived, Sonic had straightened his posture, turning towards Lance with a nervous energy about him.
“Yes, My Lord?” Lancelot asks softly.
Sonic looks pained by the inquiry, gaze casting to the side.
“You can just call me Sonic, you know?”
“That’s not—“ Lancelot cuts himself off, taking in the somber tone his king had just used, along with the terse posture and expression. “Alright… Sonic.”
The effect is immediate, Sonic relaxing as if letting out a deep breath, and a small but genuine smile spreading across his maw. Lancelot feels his heart skip a beat.
“I was wondering,” Sonic begins. “if you’d stay the night. In here. With me.”
There’s a few seconds where the only sound between them is the crackling of the chamber fire a servant must have lit not long ago, and the quiet howling of the wind outside.
“Where would I…?” Lancelot trails off, gazing across the room.
“The bed is big enough for both of us. Honestly it’s way too big for just one person,” Sonic quickly replies, already knowing where the line of questioning was going.
Lancelot nods, slowly.
“May I ask why?”
Sonic shuffles his feet, looking all to meek for the mighty ruler he was.
“Well, it’s a bit odd to not sleep in the same room if we’re together. At least occasionally…” Sonic trails off.
Lancelot nods again, concisely.
“I would be honored to share your bed.”
Sonic’s face bursts into red, quills fluffing up.
“Ah— no need to sound so serious,” He laughs nervously.
“Apologies, My— Sonic.” Lancelot says as Sonic moves behind his dressing screen.
A chuckle sounds from behind the wood screen.
“Your Sonic?” He muses.
“You know what I meant,” Lancelot huffs, feeling flushed.
Sonic laughs again but does not answer, instead coming out from behind the dressing screen in his night garments. He walks to his wardrobe, opening it and extracting another pair of night clothes.
“Here, for you to change into.”
Sonic hands the clothes over and Lancelot awkwardly marches over to the changing area. He unclasps his armor, the metal clanging as he sets it onto the stone ground.
There’s a mirror leaning against the wall, reflecting the image of Lancelot. He stands still, paws gently running over the soft garments. His eyes rove up to his face and he can’t help but feel a little squeamish.
He had never seen himself look so soft before. The large scar running over his left eye was a stark contrast.
He decisively picks up his helmet, placing it back over his face and walks back out into the openness of the chamber.
Sonic is already sitting in the bed, looking up and the sound of Lancelot’s footsteps.
He stares for a moment before falling back with laughter.
Lancelot rolls his eyes, waiting for the fit to be over.
“Oh my Gaia, Lancelot,” Sonic sits back up, wiping the tears from his eyes. “Why do you have that hunk of metal on your head still?”
Lancelot grunts.
“My face is not very sightly,” He grumbles.
Sonic sobers nearly immediately, frowning.
“Lancelot, come here,” He says softly, patting the spot next to him.
Lancelot obeys, sitting down onto the plush mattress.
“Nothing about you is unsightly. You never could be.”
Lancelot shifts uncomfortably.
“How do you know that?”
“Do you trust me?”
“Of course.”
Sonic raises his hands to Lancelot’s helmet, holding onto the sides. He stays there for a moment.
“May I?” He asks softly.
Lancelot nods.
Sonic slowly lifts the helmet up, revealing the face beneath it. His eyes rove over Lancelot’s face slowly, taking in every feature, every scratch, every scar.
“See?” Sonic brings a hand up to cup Lancelot’s maw. “Beautiful,” He said breathily.
Lancelot flushes leaning into the touch, and then leaning in closer. Sonic follows, leaning close until their lips touch.
The kiss is soft and sweet, gentle and slow. Warm. They pull away just as slowly, savoring the breaths between them.
“We should sleep now,” Sonic says quietly, gaze still on Lancelot’s lips.
“Yes, we should,” Lancelot replies, mirroring Sonic’s own gaze.
They kiss again.
Things change after that. They plan a date, commission rings from the royal jeweler. They even hold hands. (Sonic teases about their unseemly-ness often. Lancelot finds it endearing).
They sleep in the same bed, share kisses at night, hold one another, groom each other’s quills, share nights of passion, as well as nights of calm and comfort, purrs often reverberating off the stone walls.
And when the wedding comes in the fall— Well, they were way past calling their courtship fake.